What Makes Us Remember
by thatgleekychick
Summary: Sequel to Cry Till We See. A new school year starts for New Directions. What will it bring for everyone, especially for Puck and Rachel?
1. Chapter 1

AN: So here we go! Thank you for all those who are sticking around for the continuation of the story (I should come up with a series title. Anyone have any suggestions?) I have a lot of ideas for this series, whether it ends at this story or not. Oh, and thank you for all those who put me on author alert after the last chapter of Cry Till We See was posted. I'm glad so many of you like this series that much. R&R!!!

OH! And if any of you have any suggestions or ideas for songs you want me to put in the story. Either for Rachel to sing in the auditorium or a song for Sectionals or Regionals etc (I have a few songs but I need more ideas) feel free to review or PM me and I'll see if I can fit them into the story!!

* * *

Like all teenagers, the twelve members of New Directions were not looking forward to the start of a new school year. Even Rachel Berry, who was determined to be well educated, would rather she had more time to enjoy the summer heat. As she walked into McKinley High School for the first time since departing in May, Rachel felt that things could be different this year. There was already a stark difference between the beginning of this year and that of the last. She had many more friends than she had and with a smile on her face, Rachel was more than ready to face whatever new adventures her junior year held for her.

Unfortunately, while things around her were changing, two football players heading towards her, slushies in hand reminded her that things would not be as different as she had hoped. Thankful she had reasoned with herself that bringing a change of clothes was necessary this morning, Rachel felt the chill of the blue drink splash in her face, twice. Rachel looked down to see that the freezing substance had covered her pink top and even had begun to stain some of the new school supplies that she was cradling in her arms.

As the athletes walked past her laughing, Rachel could only breathe deep and turn to return to her locker for her change of clothes. Kurt would be upset she didn't have any of the ensembles they had spent the summer shopping for, but Rachel had to be practical about what she wore to school for the reason she was currently dealing with. When she turned around, she saw the same jocks who had assaulted her just moments before pushed against the lockers, both by none other than Noah Puckerman. Rachel hadn't seen him in the month or so since the glee camp had ended. Still covered in blue syrup, Rachel watched on as Puck began berating the boys in front of him.

"No one. And I do mean no one does that again!"

"Sorry, Puck," Nick Robinson said, "We just thought since she wasn't your girl anymore-"

"You thought wrong. Now I'm telling both of you and if I were you, I would spread this like wild fire, you don't slushie anyone from the glee club. Understood?" Puck spat.

Rachel watched in awe as Puck walked away from the nodding football players and over to her.

"Uh, hey. Sorry about that." He said his hands in his pockets as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"No need to apologize, Noah. You didn't do this."

"If the boys on the football team know what's good for them you won't have a problem again."

"Thank you for that Noah. Unfortunately while you can control the football team, there is no alliance between your team and the hockey team."

"Yeah, I guess." Puck said looking at Rachel as she shivered from the coldness of the drinks, but she was still standing there even as silence fell on the two.

Rachel felt the awkwardness creeping up on the two of them and she knew the only way to alleviate it for one of them to leave the situation.

"Noah, neither of us excels at small talk," Rachel said, "So if you'd excuse me I'm going to go clean up."

"Uh, right," Puck said running his hand through his Mohawk.

Rachel turned away to head back to her locker to change so she wasn't tardy on the first day of school, "I'll see you in glee Noah."

Puck didn't say anything but just stood there and watched as Rachel walked away from him covered in blue.

After Rachel got her things from her locker, she hurried into the washroom, thankful that it was empty. She examined herself in the mirror and rolled her eyes. There was blue everywhere and she was going to have to throw the shirt out. Her father had given her that shirt for her birthday last year and he was going to wonder at some point where it was. Changing into her new shirt, Rachel thought about what Puck had done for her in the hallway. She smiled at the fear in the eyes of the football players as Puck threw both of them into the lockers. _Puck. _Rachel had spent so much of her summer busy with her summer job and hanging out with Quinn, Finn and Mike (yes, Mike Chang) that she almost (but not entirely) had forgotten about him. She kept busy but she couldn't keep him from entering her mind when she was most relaxed. She hadn't changed her mind about the whole situation. And she would admit (only to herself) that she was protecting her heart. But she couldn't help the fact that it wasn't just the fear in the faces of the jocks that made her smile; it was that he was doing it for her. She shook her head, that wasn't true. It couldn't be, especially now that Puck was dating Jessica something-or-other. Yes, Noah Puckerman had returned to the life of being a one-woman man. Jessica was neither Cheerio nor Gleek so Rachel had no idea who she was but Rachel couldn't do anything about it. She had left and Noah was free to sleep with as many or as few girls as he wanted. And if Jessica made Puck happy, Rachel was determined to be happy for him.

~~~~*~~~~

Since Rachel had a bunch of new friends, she decided that at least a couple times a week, she could spend lunch with them. She hadn't been to the lunchroom during lunchtime in a very long time and Rachel quickly got used to the noise. This was the first time most of the club members had seen each other since the camp had ended and everyone was quickly getting caught up.

Mercedes was telling Kurt in great detail about the date that she and Matt had gone on the week prior. Matt just sat there and watched Mercedes speak about that night. All they had done was stay in, order pizza, and watch a movie in her basement, but Mercedes told the story like it was the most romantic date she'd ever been on. And maybe that was true. Rachel laughed with everyone else as Mercedes told of her excitement that she was able to convince Matt to watch Dear John. A chorus of awes came from all the girls and Matt just rolled his eyes and pulled Mercedes close to him.

Kurt, who was sitting mighty close to Hank, told everyone about how he and Hank got busted by the cops for making out in the back seat of Hank's car. Hank had forgotten to turn off the headlights and they ended up shining into an old woman's home who in turned called Lima's finest to investigate the situation.

Rachel and Quinn had gotten summer jobs at Olive Garden as waitresses and Finn finally got that job at Target that he had applied for ages before. Those three told of the crazy customers they had to deal with. When they weren't working, Quinn, Finn and Mike spent a lot of time at Rachel's since her dads weren't home very often watching movies or playing games or just hanging out by Rachel's pool. So the situation with Mike is unexpected and unusual but it just kind of happened. During glee camp, Rachel couldn't seem to get some of her choreography down, which frustrated her more than anyone could understand. She was Rachel Berry, she'd been dancing since she was three months old and she couldn't land a few steps. She had asked Mike for some help since he seemed to have mastered it (possibly, because he had a hand in choreographing it). He was able to help her achieve perfection and then they just started joining Finn and Quinn, which didn't both Rachel because she felt like such a third wheel when her best friend and her boyfriend were around. But she had made it clear to everyone that her and Mike were in a strictly platonic relationship. 'Other Asian' as he was so often called, was nothing more than a good friend, one she had been able to rely on in the summer months and although completely unexpected, Rachel welcomed it.

"Rachel made me watch a bunch of musicals," Mike said when it was his turn to discuss his summer activities.

"Welcome to the club," Quinn chimed in and everyone laughed.

As everyone else took turns telling their tales of the parts of their summer that weren't spent together, including Santana and Brittany's recount of their coming out to their parents. Rachel was very proud of her friends for their acceptance of who they were.

"Where's Puck?" Kurt asked.

Rachel remembered a time when that question was asked and she had the answer, but now turning to Kurt, he wasn't looking at her; he was looking at Finn, who just shrugged.

"I wonder what he did all summer." Puck inquired.

"Jessica," Matt said laughing which resulted in Mercedes sending him the ugliest of looks and his immediate silence; and Rachel couldn't help but laugh.

Kurt gave Rachel a look that said _'she officially lost her mind.' _And everyone was silent. Rachel just continued laughing.

"You can all resume the conversation. And I would appreciate if none of you walks on eggshells around me because it makes for a much more uncomfortable position than if you were to speak freely. I am able to speak for Puck, but I will not be harboring any sour feelings because it is not beneficial to the group. So continue," Rachel said waving them on.

It took a second but eventually the eleven friends around her broke into intense conversation. Rachel suddenly wishes she were in the auditorium because there is a song in her head that she wishes would disappear. And she could do that if she could sing it out. Maybe she would post a MySpace video when she got home. She hadn't done more than a handful throughout the summer, even though she did quite a lot of singing and practicing. Underneath the buzz of the lunchroom and her friends, Rachel hums, singing the song in her head so that that dreaded line would disappear from her thoughts, '_Nothing cures the hurt you bring on by yourself.' _And Rachel knew that was true and she was glad when the bell rang and lunch was over.

~~~~*~~~~

Rachel was more than excited about the first glee meeting of the year. Kurt and Hank were the first two in the room (after Rachel of course) followed by Quinn and Finn, Quinn taking a spot next to Rachel. Tina and Artie came in after them, followed by Mike, Matt and Mercedes. Matt and Mike were talking and laughing; and by the look on Mercedes' face she was either entirely confused or completely disgusted before Matt and Mercedes went to the back and Mike took a seat next to Rachel. The next to enter was Kristine O'Sullivan. When the New Directions summer camp started, the only new member was Hank; but as week two started Kristine had joined them, and she was instantly accepted into the group. Rachel even gave her seal of approval when she heard Kristine sing. Kristine was a senior, and wanted to find something to make her high school experience memorable (being part of something special makes you special right?) Unfortunately, no one else had joined through out the summer, but everyone was happy that they had gotten their two new members. Glee club was on the rise and Rachel felt that even if she weren't around to experience it, one day glee would rule the school. Brittany and Santana walked in arms linked smiling before taking seats behind Rachel and Quinn.

Mr. Shuester walked in next and everyone was there, except Puck. Mr. Shue surveyed the room as was about to be the second person today to ask of Puck's whereabouts before, as if on cue, the door to the choir room opened and Puck walked through shuffling through the room without a word and taking a seat behind Finn as Mr. Shuester clasped his hands together to begin his speech.

"Welcome back guys! I'm glad to see all of those from last year and here and we are very proud to welcome Hank and Kristine to New Directions," Mr. Shue said as everyone applauded, "I have such a good feeling about this year. I was unbelievably proud about how far we came last year and I look forward to joining you on your journey again this one. We spent the summer working on perfecting vocals and creating dance routines for a handful of songs. But we have the possibility to go to three competitions so we will use some of that material, but while we weren't meeting, I found a couple of other songs that I want to work through and add them to our repertoire. We are going to try new things this year, including changing up some of our leads."

Everyone's gaze immediately shot to Rachel to see if she would protest.

"I wasn't going to say a word!" Rachel said putting her hands up as if she were surrendering.

"I'm glad to hear that Rachel. I'm not saying that Rachel isn't going to get a solo or two, but I'm not saying that we will have her on all the leads. Finn, this goes for you too; you may have to share the spotlight with a couple of the other guys."

"I'm down with that," Finn said smiling.

"Perfect," Mr. Shuester said turning to pull music out of his bag and distributing it, "Now this is the first song I want us to work on. It's called _'Flying without Wings'"_

"Mr. Shuester," Kurt said looking up from his music, "I'm not judging your musical taste, because aside from that disco nightmare, your choices have been rather good; however where do you find some of this stuff? I haven't even heard this song before."

"That's a good question Kurt. Some of this is old music I found on Cds that I haven't listened to in ages or were my ex-wife's. There is an amazing amount of music out there; you just have to know the right places to look." Mr. Shuester said as Kurt just nodded.

"So who will have lead on this song Mr. Shuester?" Quinn asked.

"All of you. I'm still working out the details but I wanted to give you the music and give you a heads start. On Wednesday, we will go over the song and then I will assign the solos. I know it's the first day of school and none of you want to sit here. So today, you can all go home early. You've done a great job over the summer and starting Wednesday we are going to kick into full gear."

Mr. Shuester dismissed everyone after that and everyone began trickling out of the choir room. Quinn drove Rachel home with a promise to call her later. Rachel went straight to her room and threw herself on her bed. She contemplated making a MySpace video but found she had no energy to make herself up to make it. Instead she just stared at the ceiling, until she fell asleep, wondering what this school year would bring.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: This chapter started out rocky but as I moved through it I became more in love with the story that I've been telling. I'm really happy with the way most of this chapter turned out and even though finishing it will cost me some of the sleep I need, I think it was worth it. THANK YOU to those who have reviewed, alerted and even favorited this story. I see some new people are on the list and I welcome you to this crazy Puckleberry ride that I feel this story will be. I have a lot planned and I can't wait to get to some of it. So enough from me! And if you could be so kind as to read and review I will love you all that much more!

* * *

Rachel was never one to consider school boring, but Tuesday she found herself happier than normal when the last bell rang. On the drive home, Quinn asked Rachel if she could come over to work on homework. Well, homework was the pretense that Quinn used to get Rachel to hang out. She could have just asked but she really needed to talk to Rachel and she knew that the best way to get Rachel to do things during the school week was to include homework or glee. It was the second day of school and although Quinn had not yet wanted to give up a free night while the air was still warm, she was sitting at the Berry's kitchen table, struggling to focus on the math in front of her. Quinn wasn't sure why she was so nervous to talk to Rachel. It wasn't as if she was pregnant or had cheated or something equally as devastating. But depending on Rachel's reaction to the whole situation Quinn feared that it might be just as bad, worse even. In frustration, Quinn threw her pen down against her textbook causing Rachel to look up worried from her homework.

"Is everything alright, Quinn?" Rachel asked concerned at her friend's odd behavior.

"Well…I…I, "Quinn shuttered, "I need to tell you something. And I'm afraid of how you're going to take it."

"Quinn, you don't have to shelter your thoughts simply because you are concerned about my reaction. Just talk to me," Rachel said placing her pen down against her notebook.

Quinn hesitated for a second, "So, yesterday after I dropped you off after glee, Finn and I, we met Jessica."

"I see." Rachel said not entirely shocked; Finn and Quinn were still Puck's friends. It was only fitting that they be introduced to Puck's new girlfriend.

"I tried really hard to hate her Rach, I did. But she's nice and I couldn't just hate her."

"It's okay Quinn, I understand. I wouldn't expect you to hate her just because she's Puck's new girlfriend."

"Are you sure? Because I'm totally on Team Rachel or whatever; Jessica and I would never be friends or anything, I just don't hate her."

"Quinn, its fine."

"Promise me that you're telling me the truth. Because if you want me to hate her I will."

"Quinn. I promise that I am okay with you not hating Jessica. I also am okay with you being her friend if that is what you want,"

"No. We have absolutely nothing in common. But I just don't want you to be mad at me, or Finn."

"Quinn, I am not upset with you or Finn. Noah is your friend too and it would only be appropriate that you meet his new companion." Rachel said verbalizing her earlier thoughts.

"Oh good, I was really worried you were going to like flip out or something."

"Of course not. Noah and I aren't together but that doesn't mean life doesn't go on for either of us. I hope he is happy with Jessica."

"Okay this feels weird. We need to talk about something else. What are you and Mike doing tonight?"

Rachel shrugged, "He's bringing movies over. I'm sure they will be full of violence and blood and sex."

"Sounds great." Quinn said sarcastically.

"Can't wait."

~~~~*~~~~

Just as Rachel had expected Mike brought over a bunch of movies she hadn't even heard of complete with every teenage boy's favorite movie components: blood, sex, and violence. Rachel could only sit and watch with a disgusted look on her face. She had promised that all the musicals and romantic comedies that she had forced Mike into over the summer that he would be allowed to make the film selections for a while. So Rachel did what she promised with only the slightest of objections.

Rachel sighed in relief as the movie ended and she could grab the remote and turns the television off, determined to forget everything she'd seen in the last two hours. Mike obviously caught the disgusted look on her face.

"Sorry Rach. But you owed me after all those musicals." Mike said laughing.

"I know. I just didn't expect there to be so much blood."

"You've never seen a horror movie before?"

"I have, I just don't remember them being so unpleasant." That was probably because Rachel watched her first horror movie with Puck. And no more than twenty minutes into the movie, they weren't paying any attention to the movie at all.

"Mike, can I ask you a question?" Rachel asks suddenly.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Mike said hesitantly, hoping that this wasn't one of Rachel's questions that left him completely uncomfortable at the end.

"Have you met Noah's new girlfriend?"

Mike paused, completely afraid to have this conversation with Rachel, "uh yeah. Why?"

"Is she pretty?"

"Rachel-"

"Mike, I want you to be completely honest with me."

"I don't know I feel comfortable having this conversation with you."

"Mike please just humor me."

"Fine, yeah I guess."

"I've never met her. What does she look like?"

Mike sighed, Rachel owed him another movie for this conversation alone, "She's got red hair, kinda tall, skinny. I don't know Rach."

"So she makes me look like just a notch in Noah Puckerman's ever growing belt?"

"Rachel, you broke up with him remember?"

"Mike how dare you insult my memory? Of course, I remember. I just had a…a…curiosity that's all."

"Rach, I totally get it. Don't worry though. Jessica's pretty and nice or whatever, but I know that none of us are going to like her more than we like you. You are our friend, she's just Puck's girlfriend."

A smile appeared on Rachel's face. She loved that even though she wasn't sure what she was looking for Mike to say, he somehow managed to say the perfect thing to ease her mind. Rachel threw her arms around Mike, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you Mike," Rachel said after letting go and taking her spot back on the couch.

By the time that Mike left that evening, Rachel was confident that while the events of this school year were a mystery, she was very confident that it was going to be a good year.

~~~~*~~~~

Glee on Wednesday consisted of everyone singing through _'Flying Without Wings'._ While rehearsing, Rachel had searched the internet until she found a copy of the song. She played it and immediately fell in love with it. It was an amazing song and Mr. Shuester was right about finding great music if you just look in crazy places. Rachel of course had volunteered to go first and the other thirteen members followed, Kristine being the last. Rachel knew that Kristine was having a hard time fitting in with the group. The rest of them had been together since last year, and Hank was dating Kurt, so there wasn't an issue there. However, Kristine, although she came and tried, was having a harder time becoming one of the gleeks. Rachel vowed as she finished watching Kristine sing the song that she would try harder to get Kristine involved more with the rest of the group.

Everyone applauded Kristine as she took her seat and Mr. Shuester resumed his spot at the front of the room.

"Alright everyone, I've been taking notes through out all of your performances. All of you guys were amazing and understand that there are sixteen solos in this song, and only fourteen of you. But no decision was made to say that one of you is better than the other. You were assigned your solo with how well your voice worked with a particular part of the song."

As Mr. Shuester called off everyone's solos, Rachel was pleased and she was more than happy for Quinn and Finn who were given the extra solos for the song. Everyone had been on edge when Mr. Shuester announced that Rachel would be singing only one solo but she immediately broke the awkward silence around them, assuring everyone of her opinion on the matter. They ran through the song once with everyone's assigned parts, Rachel had a really good feeling about the song.

After rehearsal had been dismissed, Kurt and Mercedes called Rachel, Quinn, Tina, Artie, Hank and Kristine to stay back. Once everyone was seated around Kurt, he stood up.

"So as we all know the first week of school also brings the first football game of the season. While I have chosen not to participate this year, many of our fellow club members are still playing in the game this Friday. I thought it would be nice for us all to show up and support our football players and Cheerios."

"That sounds like a great idea Kurt!" Tina said followed by a chorus of agreement from everyone else.

"Good. So everyone can meet at my house and then we can all ride in together." Kurt said.

"And since my dads are still out of town, I was thinking of having an end of summer party after the game. My pool is still open and it would be just us so I'm not sure how much fun that sounds to the football players, but I think it could be fun for us." Rachel said, finding a perfect way to get Kristine involved.

"I'm definitely down for that," Mercedes said.

"I'll be in charge of snacks and drinks, all on my parents. Cause even the four football players we have can eat just about everything in your fridge after a game." Quinn said. She had chosen to stay off the Cheerios this year. She had learned many lessons since being kicked off the Cheerios, and losing her baby, and becoming friends, like real friends with some of the club members; and Quinn no longer had a desire to be "top dog". She was going to let Santana have all the glory.

With that settled, everyone departed from the choir room. Rachel and Quinn were already in Quinn's car with it started, in reverse, and half way out of the parking spot before Quinn pushed the car into park.

"Quinn? Did you forget something?"

"No. Are you inviting Puck to your party?"

"As Noah is party of the glee club, he is invited yes."

"And Jessica?"

"I have really considered that. But I suppose if he would like to bring Jessica it would be alright."

"And you're going to be okay with that?"

"Quinn, I really wish everyone would stop acting like everything that Noah does effects me. Noah and I are still amicable but I feel that everyone's constant insisting that something he does or I do will lead to one of us exploding or something will cause one of us to get angry and then things will not be so civil.'

"Rachel, I didn't mean-"

"I know Quinn. And I really appreciate your concern, and everything you've done for me since Noah and I broke up. But constantly checking my feelings about him and his life is making things more difficult."

"You miss him don't you?" Quinn asked, but Rachel never responded.

~~~~*~~~~

Friday night was interesting for Rachel. School passed rather quickly and Kurt had instructed her that everyone was to meet earlier than they had previously agreed upon so that Kurt could make everyone into the perfect images of school spirit. Rachel smiled when Kurt was putting Kristine's make up on. Kristine was laughing and looked like she was having a genuinely good time.

One everyone was to Kurt's liking, everyone packed into Kurt's car. Except for Rachel, Quinn, and Kristine who decided to take Rachel's car so that they could go straight to Rachel's house after the game to finish setting up for the party.

Rachel was happy to support her teammates, however she knew little about football. She had never been to a high school football game before, but has been told that the events of the evening would be considered violent. Upon entering the bleachers, Rachel immediately saw a tall girl with scarlet hair waving, at Quinn. Looking Rachel noticed that the girl was wearing a jersey with the number 20 printed on it; this was obviously Jessica. As Quinn acknowledged her presence and led the rest of the club members towards where Jessica sat, Rachel inspected the girl. She was much taller than Rachel by about four inches. Her hair was curly and pulled back high on her head. She was skinny, well thinner than Rachel and Rachel saw how Jessica had to tie Puck's jersey into a big knot to make it fit properly. Before Rachel realizes she was alone at the bottom of the bleachers while everyone had introduced themselves and were sitting around Jessica. Rachel ascended the bleachers and took the seat that had been saved for her next to Quinn, who had Jessica on her other side. This was the moment Rachel regretted yelling at Quinn for caring too much about her feelings, because this was going to be awkward.

Rachel leaned over, "Rachel Berry," she said extending her hand to Jessica who was suddenly taken aback, realizing just who Rachel was.

Extending her hand out herself, she clasped it around Rachel's hand, "Jessica Stanley,"

Rachel was impressed in the way that Jessica shook her hand, strong and firm, nothing for her to fault her on. Not that Rachel was looking for faults. (She wasn't). When she got her hand back, Rachel fought the urge to wipe her hand on her skirt. Luckily, Kurt had started up a conversation about the fashion do's and don'ts that football gear caused. Rachel laughed and leaned her head against Kurt's shoulder. He smiled and turned to look at her and gave her a silent 'are you okay?' and Rachel just shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't really sure what she was feeling right now. But as the game started, the nagging voice in her head that liked to over analyzing everything was over taken by Kurt and Quinn trying to explain what exactly was going on in the game. Rachel for one was completely lost and found all the tackling to be too much. She made sure to concentrate more on Mike, Matt and Finn because Rachel knew that she wouldn't be able to take it if she would see Puck receive any of these rough blows.

When the game was over, McKinley had lost. It wasn't really a surprise to anyone, but Rachel knew this would be all the more reason for everyone to relax back at her house afterwards. She had gotten yeses for everyone, including Puck who was bringing Jessica. Kristine, Rachel had learned this evening, had a boyfriend of her own, and he was coming tonight as well. It was going to be the perfect end to the summer, and hello to school, and glee and football.

~~~~*~~~~

Thanks to Quinn's new fascination with punishing her parents by spending all their money, Rachel's party came complete with all the essentials. Quinn had ordered six pizzas, had tons of drinks (in all the non-alcoholic varieties since Rachel wasn't willing to clean up after drunk gleeks), all sorts of snacks and even little desserts. Quinn had even taken the liberty to purchase a few new pool toys. It was obvious that Quinn had absolutely using her parent's money; they had been horrible to her during her pregnancy and once she got the access to the money again over the summer, Quinn was paying for everything.

By ten o'clock, everyone had arrived, including Puck and Jessica, and Kristine's boyfriend Jason. Everyone seemed to be having an amazing time. Mike and Matt were in the pool and while Rachel decided that she wasn't swimming, as it would be rude as hostess, Mike and Matt both promised her she would end up in the pool one way or another. Rachel just smiled walking away from the boys feeling the splash of water against the back of her legs.

Once she was back inside, she walked over to her television and riffled through the entertainment center until she found what she was looking for. She pulled out her Nintendo Wii and turned to the rest of the glee club.

"Who wants to play a game?" Rachel asked to the room.

"Berry's got video games?" Hank said.

"Well, not exactly. I have one game. Karaoke Revolution."

"Don't we do enough singing?" Mercedes asked.

"Such a thing does not exist. Plus, in glee it's about the group, this will allow us some friendly competition between us as individuals. Unless you feel that you cannot handle competition-"

"Oh, I can handle it. You're on!"

Rachel was on a winning streak. She had barely made it past Mercedes but then continued through Kurt, Tina, Artie, and Finn. Currently she was making her way through 'Love Story' by Taylor Swift against Quinn. She was winning yet again and everyone was just rolling their eyes. And Puck remembered the time he tried to get Rachel to play Modern Warfare and how she was unable to get a hang of it and how upset she got when she found something she couldn't excel at. Puck laughed at the memory to get a look from Jessica who was obviously uncomfortable in her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend's house surrounded by friends that weren't hers.

The song had only a few more bars left and Rachel was smiling brightly when suddenly someone grabbed her legs and her arms and was carrying her out of the house. Rachel screamed as everyone else was laughing Rachel looked to see that Matt had her legs and Mike had her arms. Before she could even begin to fight her petite body crashed into the pool. Mike and Matt had jumped inside with her along with Mercedes, Kurt, Hank, Quinn and Finn. Everyone else was gathered around the deck. Rachel played around with her friends until being in the pool with her clothes on became too much. She climbed out grabbing one of the towels she had placed around the pool and wrapping it around her. She took a few steps towards the house when she looked to find Puck and Jessica sitting on her couch, entirely too close for Rachel's liking. Rachel took a moment to calm herself. She couldn't be jealous could she? No, she had absolutely no right to be jealous. But what the hell was the feeling that tightened around her heart with absolutely sign of letting go.

Pulling the towel around her tighter, Rachel entered her house and ran past Puck and Jessica and up to her room. Not even caring about her wet clothes Rachel threw herself onto her bed. Burying her face into her pillow, she began to cry. She didn't understand this. She had been the one to tell Puck that they couldn't be together. She had absolutely no right to be jealous, she gave that up the moment she walked out of that choir room. But now with Puck's new girlfriend on her couch basically on his lap, all the emotions that Rachel was trying her so damn hard to push down came flooding to the surface. As the tears poured from her eyes, she remembered the song that she remembered the other day. _"But nothing cures the hurt you, you bring on by yourself," _But the song Rachel remembered was about fighting to be with the person you love again. But Rachel knew that she had no ground to fight on. She had left him and if he had found someone else, that was none of her business. She had no right to pull him away from someone who was potentially making him happy because she after months had decided that she loved him still and wanted him back.

Rachel lay on her side clutching her pillow tightly against her chest, crying. She continued to cry until she had no idea how long she had been lying there. Rachel felt the bed move and turned to stare at Quinn, her eyes red from all the crying. One look from Quinn and Rachel broke down into tears again.

"Kurt, go tell everyone its time to go. Tell them Rachel's not feeling well and make sure Mike knows that this isn't because they threw her in the pool," Quinn whispered to Kurt and he nodded and left the room.

Quinn just lay down in her bathing suit next to Rachel, still in her wet blouse and top. Quinn wrapped her arms around Rachel as the brunette continued to cry.

When Rachel had finally calmed down and finished crying, Quinn still just lay there letting Rachel be in charge of the conversation, if any, that was to take place.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day about being too cautious of my feelings. You were obviously correct in your logic."

"I wish I wasn't Rachel."

"I'm a horrible hostess. I couldn't even say goodbye to my own guests."

"Kurt did that for you, " Quinn reminded Rachel, "And he sent me a text saying he, Mercedes and Hank cleaned up everything up and closed your pool."

"I'll have to remember to thank them," Rachel said. If she had felt like smiling she would have over the amazing feats her friends were going to for her, even if it was cleaning up after a party.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Quinn whispered.

Rachel sat up and looked at Quinn, "I'm not even sure what there is to talk about. Except for I've realized that I made a huge mistake when it's too late."

"Who said it was too late?" Quinn said sitting up as well.

"He's with someone else. And I can't just go up to him and tell him that I still have feelings for him and expect him to drop everything and whisk me off into the sunset. It doesn't work that way."

"You could tell him and then let him decide."

"What right do I have to go up to him after everything and all the time and screw up his life? I don't. So I just have to hold my head up high and hope that eventually these feelings will go away and everything can go back to the way it was before, well before everything."

"Love doesn't go away just because you wish it would. Trust me I've tried."

"Well I have to make it," Rachel said getting up off the bed and going to her dresser to find a change of clothes. Quinn was staying the night so after they changed the girls headed back down into Rachel's living room. After sending thank you texts to Kurt, Mercedes and Hank, Rachel and Quinn settled in on the two couches in the Berry's living room.

"Goodnight, Quinn. Thank you." Rachel said pulling the blankets up.

"Of course. And remember, I'm still on Team Rachel."

"Thanks," Rachel managed to get out before the tears well up in her eyes and she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

AN: I was practically crying with Rachel while writing this last part. Also less than 50 days left in this horrid hiatus. Can't wait! R&R

-Jen


	3. Chapter 3

AN:I tried to upload this yesterday but FF wouldn't let me!!! Thank you too all those who reviewed and added this story to your favorites or your alerts. You have no idea how happy it makes me whenever I get an email that tells me that someone else likes my work. So please continue being awesome! I do not own glee even though sometimes writing this it feels like these are my characters…but it's only a fantasy. I also don't own the song Rachel sings in the auditorium, that belong to Kelly Clarkson and the one that Puck and Rachel sing together is by Kenny Rogers and Whitney Duncan. Oh and the key for that goes like this:

**BOLD**-PUCK; _Italics_-Rachel; _**BOLD/Italics**_-Both

So, I'll stop rambling and enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Rachel's party and she was happy that no one mentioned anything except the good parts. The only people that she would even talk to about her little breakdown with were Quinn and Kurt and because of that fact that they had seen her lying on her bed still in her skirt and blouse, soaking wet and crying. Quinn had been such a great friend that night but she was hoping that it would be enough. But unfortunately, the next day included Kurt rushing over immediately after breakfast to make sure everything was all right. Quinn and Kurt were really making a bigger deal out of everything than there needed to be. Both of them were constantly insisting that Rachel go and tell the boy who had her heart her feelings. But Rachel wasn't having it. Kurt had even deleted the 'getting over boys with Mohawks' play list from Rachel's itunes in an attempt to motivate her, but nothing was going to convince Rachel that it was a good idea. She may have pushed Puck away so that she could keep her heart in tact; however, the same fear kept her from telling him what she felt. She wasn't willing to risk what was left of her to be rejected, as Puck would choose Jessica, she was almost sure of it. Rachel felt that telling Puck that she had these feelings would do no good. The whole situation felt like the situation she found herself in almost a year ago with Finn. So much had changed but even though she had constantly made her feelings known to the tall quarterback, he constantly went back to Quinn. She knew now that was because Finn and Quinn belong together, but she couldn't do that again. She had grown in the last year, and by participating in the requested actions, Rachel would only be regressing her transformation. Rachel had made a decision within herself, that if Puck and Jessica were to break up, and the proper grieving time had elapsed, and Rachel still felt the way she did, she would tell him then. But until then she was focused on glee and school and becoming a star.

Rachel was spending most of her lunches actually in the lunchroom with her friends. The lunches she wasn't with the gleeks, she spent in the library catching up on some of the homework that she missed because Kurt called an emergency trip to the mall or Quinn needed girl time away from Finn. So today, Rachel opted to go to the auditorium during lunch for the first time since school started. Standing in the middle of the stage Rachel mentally flipped through the songs she had put on her list of songs that she wanted to sing. When she had chosen one that made her happy, she stood in the center of the stage, prepared to remember why she viewed singing as the best therapy there was.

Puck had just gotten situated in the wings of the auditorium when he heard someone walk in. Peaking slowly, Puck realized Rachel had made her way to the stage. He watched her for a moment, surprised to see her since he knew she hadn't been there since the beginning of the school year. He, however, had been sitting there everyday. Part of him sat there because Puck was hoping Rachel would come in and sing and he could have his sanctuary the way it should be. But even when he knew she wasn't coming, Puck came for the silence. It was that silence that made the noise inside his head less hectic, more manageable, sometimes.

_Love can be a many splendid thing  
Can't deny the joy it brings  
A dozen roses, diamond rings  
Dreams for sale and fairy tales  
It'll make you hear a symphony  
And you just want the world to see  
But like a drug that makes you blind,  
It'll fool ya every time_

Puck listened as Rachel's voice ran over him, hugging him like a blanket. They may not be together but the way her voice made him feel, he was sure, would never change. It had been a long summer without her voice. He remembered a time when he couldn't get her to shut up but for a long time he wanted nothing more than to hear her talk, even if it was a simple hello. That was all before he met Jessica at some random kid's party. Before Jessica, he would find himself thinking about that afternoon in the choir room, the day he told Rachel that he really hadn't cheated on her and the day she walked away anyway.

_The trouble with love is  
It can tear you up inside  
Make your heart believe a lie  
It's stronger than your pride  
The trouble with love is  
It doesn't care how fast you fall  
And you can't refuse the call  
See, you got no say at all_

Listening to Rachel sing now, Puck's head was stuck in the choir room. Rachel was kissing him and in his head, and a few of his dreams, she never left. Puck listened to the words of the song; Rachel always came to the auditorium to sing about her feelings when she thought it was the only way to express them, and Puck knew that so listening to her sing a song about heartache almost made him hopeful. Hopeful that she was missing him; then terrified to think that the song was about someone else. He was trying, for Jessica, to push Rachel from his mind. Jessica didn't deserve him to be holding on to these memories of Rachel. Puck knew in his head that Rachel wasn't coming back. She had made it perfectly clear that she couldn't trust him. And he couldn't hate Rachel for thinking that. He couldn't blame her after everything that happened for her just to turn and run.

_Every time I turn around  
I think I've got it all figured out  
My heart keeps callin' and I keep on fallin'  
Over and over again  
This sad story always ends the same  
Me standin' in the pourin' rain  
It seems no matter what I do  
It tears my heart in two_

He missed her. He missed her so bad sometimes he couldn't get a clear control of the feelings or if it's ever going to go away. He'd lashed out and Finn and Mike (especially Mike because of the time Mike was spending with Rachel) a few times for seemingly no reason. But the truth was he didn't know how to manage feelings, especially ones like this. But he kept remembering that Rachel doesn't want him and that Jessica does and that it is being with her that he needs to focus on. But Rachel was being so nice to him, and Jessica. She invited them both into her home at her end of summer party. But by the end of the night when she ran by, he had to fight an incredible urge he had to run after her. She was obviously upset at something, but Kurt had just come down and told everyone she was sick. Puck asked Quinn Monday at school what was up with Rachel and Quinn got really weird and just told him the same story Kurt had. When he pushed it, Quinn snapped at him to leave it alone.

_The trouble with love is  
It can tear you up inside  
Make your heart believe a lie  
It's stronger than your pride  
The trouble with love is  
It doesn't care how fast you fall  
And you can't refuse the call  
See, you got no say at all_

Rachel finished singing, assured that her methods were true and singing was very good for the human mind. It wasn't that her tortured heart was cured, but she finally felt like she could breathe again, despite her conviction that it would only last a little while. She grabbed her bags as the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch and took off to meet with Quinn.

~~~~*~~~~

Wednesday was a horrible day for Rachel. She was late leaving for school and almost immediately, she was given a slushie facial. She took the note that the slushies from the hockey players felt larger slushie than the football players had as it dripped down her face. Lunch was spent talking about everyone's weekend plans. (Everyone, except Rachel, had a date). So she made vow then that with sectionals so close she would spend her weekend perfecting her solos. Or just the one solo she currently had. She would also watch West Side Story. It had been at least two weeks since the last time she viewed it. So when glee rolled around, Rachel was hoping for a little bit of a change in the pace of the day. It didn't come.

The first thing Mr. Shuester did when he walked in the room was hand out the final two songs he wanted them to perform at sectionals, 'Against All Odds' and 'Livin' on a Prayer'. Both were amazing songs and Rachel couldn't wait to sing them, until Mr. Shuester spoke.

"Alright, on both of these songs, I've elected Rachel to be the female lead, and Puck to be the male lead."

Everyone looked shocked, but the shock couldn't have been greater for Puck and Rachel. No one shocked that Rachel got the lead, but that Puck had gotten a lead on two songs. Puck remembered the time before regionals last year that he referred to Mr. Shuester as a masochist and noted that he was currently playing into that. Rachel thought about throwing a long unseen diva fit when Mr. Shuester was continuing his behavior the next week when he decided that he had one more song idea for sectionals that he wanted to have Puck and Rachel take the leads on. Never had Rachel not wanted a solo more in her life. But when Mr. Shuester called them both up to the front of the group, Rachel did what she needed to do. She looked at the music; she recognized only one of the names on the sheet, Kenny Rogers; which meant this was a country song. Rachel really wondered where Mr. Shuester was getting his music from but as Brad and the band started up, she looked at Puck who looked just as pleased as she did to be standing there. Puck mumbled something along the lines of this being a joke before he started singing.

**I didn't look over my shoulder  
I wasn't ready for this  
Didn't see the signs on the horizon  
I was so sure that you would never leave  
But you did**

_**So sweep away the sand and dry the ocean,  
And just pack the moon and stars up in a cardboard box  
And stop the clocks from chiming  
Block the sun from shining  
And paint the sky a deeper shade of blue  
'Cause my world's over without you**_  
_  
I know I should just keep going  
But I don't know where to start  
I never thought I'd see the day when  
You'd go and leave me here  
With my broken heart but you did.  
_  
_**So sweep away the sand and dry the ocean**_

_**And just pack the moon and stars up in a cardboard box**_

_**Stop the clocks from chiming**_

_**Block the sun from shining**_

_**And paint the sky a deeper shade of blue **_

'_**Cause my world's over without you**_

_**Maybe some day all the pain will fade**_

_**Maybe this hurt will slowly slip away **_

_**Maybe some things will never change**_

_**And I'll still love you.**_

_**Stop the clocks from chiming  
Block the sun from shining  
And paint the sky a deeper shade of blue **_

_'Cause my world's over without you_  
**My world's over**  
_My world's over without you _  
**My world's over**  
_Stop the clocks from chiming  
And block the sun from shining  
'Cause my world's over without you_

The moment they were finished the room erupted in applause. There was never any doubt in Rachel's mind that she and Puck wouldn't be able to work together and make any song sound amazing. It was the number of songs that was becoming a concern for her. How the hell are you suppose to get over someone when his is holding your hand and singing right into your eyes every day of the week?

"While that was amazing guys," Mr. Shuester started, "I think I'm going to stick to the original songs I had planned for sectionals."

Rachel took a deep breath trying not to remember how every time she looked up and Puck was singing to her, she felt her stomach flip inside her, the band around her heart tightened and for the longest time she thought she wasn't even going to make it through the song. Both Puck and Rachel were happy when Mr. Shuester ended rehearsal after that.

~~~~*~~~~

After glee, Puck went over to Jessica's house. This was the first time he was there when her parents weren't home. They were laying on Jessica's couch, Jessica lying across his body, and in the middle of really hot make out session before she pulled away.

"What?" Puck asked confused as she moved to sit on the couch. Puck followed her movements.

"What are you doing two weeks from Saturday?" she asked.

"Uh, I don't know. Why?"

"Because I was thinking that since my parents are out of town that weekend that we could go out somewhere nice and then come back here afterwards."

'_Finally' _Puck thought, _'she's going to give it up' _before immediately pushing the thoughts out of his mind. Well not, entirely. He was still a dude with needs, but he had moved past that whole part of him that was obsessed with getting laid. Wait, two weeks from Saturday…

"Oh wait," Puck verbalized, "I can't two weeks from Saturday that's the day of Sectionals. I don't know what time we'll be back but if you want to do something after I'm totally down."

"You know that glee club has taken up a lot of your time for the last three weeks? And a lot of your summer?"

"I know we've been working so hard. And now Mr. Shue has given me the lead on two songs," Puck paused to see the lack of interest on Jessica's face, "Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you have to come to sectionals? You'd have to drive yourself there and back because I have to take the bus with everyone else but we can do something as soon as we get back."

"You want me to drive there and back alone and then sit by myself while I watch you dance and sing around a stage with your ex-girlfriend? I think I'll pass."

"Come on Jess. It's not going to be as boring as you make it. We're probably going to win."

"No, but I have another idea." she said leaning into kiss him softly.

"Really? And what is that?"

"You can sing for me, now."

"What do you want me to sing?"

Jessica leaned back to think, "My mom had this song on the other day that I really loved. I think it was called Sweet Caroline."

"No." the words flew out of Puck's mouth immediately.

"Why? It's a great song?"

"Just no."

"But Puck-"

"Jess just drop it!" he snapped getting up off the couch.

"Maybe you should go." Jessica said not moving.

Puck nodded and let himself out of her house. By the time he was in his truck, he had a text, from Jessica.

_And only come back when Rachel Berry isn't going to come between us again._

Puck didn't have a response so he just closed his phone and threw it across the seat of his truck. He threw his truck into reverse, backed out of the driveway, and headed home.

When he walked in the front door of his house, he was immediately greeted by his little sister, Lily, who ran from where their mother was in the kitchen to wrap herself around him.

"Hi Noah!" she exclaimed.

"Hey Lil'," Puck said as he walked, with Lily close to him into the kitchen and sat himself down at the kitchen table where his mother had just served dinner.

Puck couldn't focus on eating; he was too busy thinking about Jessica's text.

"Noah you're not eating." Noah's mother stated as she watched his just move his food around.

"Sorry, mom. I'm just not that hungry."

"Noah, you're a teenage boy, you're never not hungry. What's wrong? Did something happen with Jessica? Did you get in a fight or something?"

"Something Mom."

"Well I'm sure everything will work itself out honey," she said as Puck went back to picking at his food, "Oh, I almost forgot. Rachel called. She would like you to call her back."

Puck dropped his fork to his plate, "Why can't she learn to call my cell phone first."

"We had a delightful conversation though,"

"I bet you did."

"Noah-"

"Don't even go there Mom. Rachel and I aren't together, and we aren't going to be again."

"But-"

"Mom, drop it please," Puck said removing himself from the table, tossing his plate into the sink and going up to his room.

Once inside he flopped down on his bed, pulled out his phone, found Rachel's number, and hit send waiting for her to pick up.

"Hello?" she answered.

"You need to stop calling my house when you want to talk to me Rachel."

"I'm sorry Noah. Honestly, it was an accident. I was being careless when going through the address book-"

"Whatever just don't do it again."

"Noah, I don't appreciate what sounds like misguided anger. I still wish that we are able to remain amicable despite our separation."

"Yeah well I can't really be 'amicable' when you have delightful conversations with my mother. I can't be amicable when my mother gives me that disappointed look that I'm no longer with the Jewish girlfriend she has always wished for me, thinking it's my fault that we aren't together, when it is very much your fault."

"Noah-"

"Why did you call Rachel?" the harshness in his voice startled Rachel a bit.

She was silent for a moment and Puck knew that she was trying to maintain composure and not start crying. Puck could hear her take a deep breathe through the phone, "I was calling to see when you were available to rehearse our numbers for sectionals. Despite whatever feelings remain or don't between us, I am still committed to glee club's success. However, I see that it was a mistake to call. And I apologize again for calling your home. I will see you at school Noah."

And then Rachel hung up. Puck picked up the pillow from behind his head and used it to muffle an angered yell. As if his day couldn't get any better he had just snapped on Rachel when it obviously wasn't her he was mad at. Or was it? Maybe part of it was. But he was angrier with the girlfriend that wanted him to sing Sweet Caroline and the mother who made her dislike for said girl and love for the one who wasn't there anymore perfectly obvious. In an attempt to ignore everything, Puck put his music on, loud. And he was sure his mother would complain but he turned it up anyway and turned on his X-box. If he couldn't get rid of the evils (were they really?) that surrounded his real life he was definitely determined to get rid of them in virtual reality. It didn't work. He never got past level two.

* * *

AN: So the entire last part of this chapter came out of nowhere. I love when that happens and I'm glad it did. It will help me with some of the other stuff I have coming up. Yeah So, I hope you liked it! Also gleeky moment of the day: Glee is coming to Chicago!!! For two shows…which means at some point in May I will be (pending any obstacles) in the same building as twelve of my favorite people! We're going to camp out in front of Carson's on Friday night because we are that devoted! Okay enough from me, R&R!!!

-Jen


	4. Chapter 4

AN: yay! I finished this chapter! I was slightly unmotivated this week so I'm glad this was finished. I was originally going to break this up into two chapters but decided to just keep going and get through Sectionals. Thank you everyone who has reviewed this story, the last chapter or others. So judging from some of your reviews I feel that I need to defend Puck's relationship with Jessica. But instead of going on this huge rambling session on to why Puck is with Jessica, I think he will clarify everything in a later chapter, if you really want to know just PM me.

The songs are Flying Without Wings by Westlife; Against All Odds originally by Phil Collins but the version I was basing this off was by Westlife and Mariah Carey and Livin' on a Prayer is of course by Bon Jovi...I strongly suggest listening to these while I have ND performing them. They really are great songs.

I'll shut up now….

* * *

"Noah! We have one week! ONE WEEK! To get these steps down and if you can't manage to perfect them then I don't know what chance we will have at winning Sectionals!"

"So now this is my fault?! "

As the two continued bickering, the rest of New Directions along with Mr. Shuester took a seat in the auditorium. This had been going for over a week now. Rehearsal would be interrupted because Rachel would have a problem with something that Noah did, or didn't do, and it would turn into a screaming match. At first, everyone tried to calm them down but it was quickly apparent that there was nothing that could stop these two from fighting. So much for being amicable.

Kurt took a seat next to Quinn and watched the two nitpick each other's performances.

"You know we've created a monster right?" Kurt said observing the two left on stage that were completely ignorant to the fact that everyone else had left the stage.

"She did the same thing for Finn and me. And for Finn and Puck. We owe her."

"Well she didn't do anything for me and all this yelling is beginning to haunt me in my dreams."

So maybe the idea to put Rachel and Puck together and the lead for two songs wasn't entirely Mr. Shuester's idea. It was Quinn's and Kurt's. Even when things were the worst, Rachel had pushed Finn and Quinn together and even made Finn and Puck sing songs together in glee to get them to work their problems out. Quinn had thought that since Rachel had been such a motivator in her relationship with Finn, it was only reasonable for her to help her out with Puck. However, this wasn't exactly what the two had bargained for.

"They need this. I can't lock them in here like I did before. As long as they can get it together by next weekend so that we can win sectionals everything will be fine."

"Are you sure they do can do that?"

"No. But we have to try. Finn and I went through a lot of bad before we got to the good."

"Well I'm not exactly sure what you're expecting to happen. There is still a girlfriend to worry about."

"I have it on good authority that Jessica and Puck are on the outs."

"Compelling. And where did you hear this from?"

"Jacob Ben-Israel. He owed me for running that story about my pregnancy so I picked his Jewfro brain. I guess he saw them having a fight and I also hear that Rachel's name was brought up more than once."

"Jealous Jessica."

"Exactly. Now once those two can get over whatever it is that is keeping them from each other, then we can go back to Rachel yelling at all of us about dance moves."

Just then, Mercedes came to stand in front of the two.

"I know that all of this was for the good of Rachel and Puck but were you both really willing to risk sectionals. Because that," Mercedes said pointing behind her at the bickering twosome on the stage, "is getting ridic. We all agreed to give up the solos for these songs but all they do is yell at and I would kind of like to sing."

"Don't worry," Quinn said, "I'll fix this."

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that? Because your last attempt to fix this is going horribly wrong on stage right now." Mercedes said with a bit of a bite.

No one really knew what Puck and Rachel could possibly be arguing about for this long. Puck had messed up two dance steps and suddenly he and Rachel were bickering for nearly a half an hour.

"I don't know but I'll figure something out before sectionals."

"I hope so because I can't take too much more of this, even if I had a part in creating it," Kurt said.

It was suddenly quiet in the auditorium and everyone looked at the stage to see Rachel storming off stage. Mr. Shuester threw his hands up in the air.

"If you don't all pull yourselves together and focus we aren't going to sectionals at all. Rehearsal every day next week and if this happens one more time," Mr. Shuester struggled to find words, "Just don't let it happen."

Everyone nodded and exited the auditorium. When Finn met Quinn in the lobby, she stopped him as he tried to guide them to the parking lot.

"You need to talk to Puck," she said.

~~~~*~~~~

Per Quinn's orders, (not that Puck knew that) Finn and Puck sat in Finn's room after the rehearsal that wasn't. Quinn had gone to find Rachel who she had to drive home anyway, and Finn talked Puck into a few rounds of Modern Warfare and some Quinn suggested (or forced) guy talk. Finn wasn't exactly thrilled with that idea, but Quinn had made that face and Finn knew that if he wanted to stay out of trouble, he had to at least make a good attempt.

"I think I'm going to quit," Puck said as he threw himself on Finn's bed grabbing a controller.

Finn was kind of glad that he would have to awkwardly instigate conversation with Puck as he responded, "Quit what?"

"Glee."

"What? You can't."

"We have more than twelve members now so you'll still qualify without me."

"But why?"

"It's just not the same anymore."

"But you love glee."

"Yeah but I don't need it."

"So none of us mean anything to you?"

"No that's not what I mean. Look, I didn't say I was going to stop being friends with everyone. I just think it would be for the best."

"I'm pretty sure everyone would disagree."

"Everyone but Rachel."

"No. I think she'd be one of the first to say that you leaving is a bad idea. You love performing."

"Yeah and that and Quinn's baby were the reasons I joined and then I stayed for Rachel. But right now, I highly doubt she wants to be in the same room with me again. If you haven't noticed all we do is fight."

"We've all noticed."

"And Rachel is your star. So instead of taking her out of the picture, which she probably wouldn't even let you, we can just get rid of me. I'll stick around for sectionals since it's in a week but I'm not really sure where I stand after that."

"Is this about Jessica?"

"No. Maybe. Not entirely."

"So it's about Rachel?"

"Dude what are we just going to play twenty questions all night?"

"Don't you think that's going a bit overboard?" Finn said ignoring Puck's last question. He knew that if Quinn could see him right now she would be proud that he was able to stay focused.

Puck sighed, "I don't know. Look I'll see how things go after sectionals. But if Rachel and I can't get along it's just going to be torture for all of you."

"Maybe you should talk to Rachel."

"We have nothing to say to each other."

Finn gave Puck a look, "I'm sure there are about twelve people who disagree."

"Dude, did you invite me over here to talk about feelings and shit or for me to kick your ass again?" Puck said shaking the controller in front of Finn's face.

"You're the one who decided to announce that you might be quitting glee. You brought this on."

"And you some how brought the Spanish Inquisition in," Puck said as his phone went off, looking at it he was grateful to see that it was Jessica, "Dude, it's Jess, I gotta go. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Puck threw himself off Finn's bed, tossing the controller behind him. As he walked out of Finn's room, he answered his phone.

"No. I was with Finn," Finn heard Puck shout at the phone as he heard his front door slam.

Finn then pulled out his own phone to call Quinn.

"Done with the guy talk already?" Quinn answered instead of a hello.

"We didn't really get to talk long, Jessica called," Finn could tell that Quinn was rolling her eyes on the other side of the phone, "But we might have a problem," Finn said.

Finn told Quinn of Puck's possible leave from glee club and Quinn let out a frustrated scream.

~~~~*~~~~

The weekend went by quite uneventful, at least for Rachel. Everyone had their dates, including her parents, and she curled up on the couch and was about to hit play on West Side Story before her phone alerted her that she had a text message from across the room. Rachel groaned in frustration having just gotten comfortable. As she went to get her phone, her ringtone went off and Rachel looked to see that Mike was calling her.

"Hello?" She answered confused, knowing that Mike had a date tonight with one of the Cheerios.

"What are you doing?" Mike asked.

"I was just getting ready for a viewing of West Side Story," Rachel said walking back over to the couch attempting to find that niche she had found before her phone went off.

Mike groaned, "I guess it'll have to do. I'm coming over."

"I thought you had a date."

"She cancelled. Now I'm free, and I know you're free. So I'm coming over."

"I suppose that would be all right. And I was planning to view RENT afterwards; I hadn't decided on the Broadway version or the movie version, most likely the Broadway version. However since you have been cancelled on and will be sitting through West Side Story for the second time it would only be appropriate that I allow you to bring a title of your own for us to view. Of course this will be after West Side Story," Rachel rambled.

Mike just laughed once Rachel had finished, "Alright Rach, I'll be there in a little bit."

After Rachel hung up the phone, she immediately began straightening up the house. It was very rare that she and her father's allow the house to get into less than perfect condition however; it had been a lazy week for them all. Luckily, there were only minor alterations to be made and by the time she had finished Mike had arrived at her door.

They had both settled in and half way through the movie. Rachel was completely focused; Mike on the other hand was only mildly entertained. He looked over and Rachel and then noticed that the light on Rachel's blackberry was flashing indicating that she had a message.

"Hey Rach, you're phone's flashing,"

Rachel shook her thoughts from her movie to reach over and pick up her phone. She hadn't remembered it going off but then remembered that right before Mike had called she had gotten a text message. In the midst of all her last minute house cleaning, she must have forgotten about it. She opened her inbox and looked at her phone confused.

"It's from Noah," Rachel said aloud before opening the message.

'_We're driving people crazy so I'm calling a truce. I hope that for the sake of sectionals you can do the same thing. I'll do my best to perfect the choreography or whatever it is that you seem to have a problem with.'_

Rachel shook her head at the message and replied with a simple '_okay'_ and avoided berating him for placing all the blame on her, which wasn't true. But it would completely defeat the purpose of calling a truce if she sent her acceptance text along with a bomb.

"What did Puck want?" Mike said.

"He's calling a truce. I assume that you agree that all the bickering he and I have been doing is being harmful to the group."

"Rachel we haven't been able to practice for a whole meeting all week," Mike said.

Rachel went to protest and then, reflecting upon it, he noticed that he was right.

"You're always on the rest of us for wrong dance moves or notes or something, but lately its just Puck and once you two start, we can seem to get you to stop until one of you storms off. So if you're serious about this truce, which I really hope you are, then maybe we can win at sectionals. But honestly, Rachel we're all worried that you two are going to cost us the whole thing. Even Mr. Shuester is considering not even taking us because of your fighting."

How had Rachel not realized how bad it had gotten, "I promise you Mike, I intend on sticking to this truce."

"Good. And for that I'll allow you to pick the movie because we missed the end of West Side Story."

Rachel laughed. Her and Mike spent the rest of the night only partially paying attention to the movie Mike brought, _Pineapple Express_. Which of course prompted Rachel to begin to lecture Mike on the mental, physical and legal side effects of illegal substances? Mike promptly told Rachel that he had never done any 'illegal substances' (He may or not have been lying).

~~~~*~~~~

When glee began its first of five straight days of practice, everyone managed to be civil. Mr. Shuester began the week with a half an hour lecture about being a team complete with a detailed memory of a time when he was in glee club and someone was having issues. All fourteen members proceeded to roll their eyes and beg Mr. Shuester to allow them to rehearse. Rachel did, what she thought, was a very good job at making sure to keep all of her comments about Puck's less than perfect dance moves to herself. Everyone worked extra hard to make sure that everything was perfect for sectionals. By the end of the week, everyone was ready and some semblance of unity is reestablished within the group.

~~~~*~~~~

Puck was looking forward to this competition. It was mostly due to the fact that this was the first that New Directions had been to where there wasn't a big cloud of doom looming above his head. At sectionals last year, Finn found out about Quinn's baby and then his little girl was gone. At regionals last year, the whole Savannah Jeffreys debacle was in progress. So now, the only thing Puck really had to worry about his making sure him and Rachel were nice to each other so that Mr. Shuester didn't just pack everyone back on the bus and sent them home. Instead of last this year, New Directions got to perform first. After they were introduced, New Directions stood lined up from one side of the stage to the other. The whole set up reminded Rachel of the way the cast of RENT lined up for Seasons of Love. They had been put in an order to that when each solo came they it would be a random order and no one who was singing right after the other was standing near the other. Kurt stood as the center (well as much of a center as you could get with an even number of people). Artie, Santana, Hank, Mercedes, Kristine, Quinn and Puck stood to Kurt's left; Brittany, Mike, Rachel, Tina, Finn and Matt on his right. The introductory applause from the audience died down and Kurt began the song along side the band.

_**Kurt:**__  
Everybody's looking for a something  
One thing that makes it all complete  
__**Hank:**_

_You'll find it in the strangest places  
Places you never knew it could be  
__**Tina:**__  
Some find it in the face of their children  
Some find it in their lover's eyes_

_**Kristine:**__  
Who can deny the joy it brings  
When you've found that special thing  
You're flying without wings  
__**Matt:**__  
Some find it sharing every morning  
Some in their solitary nights  
__**Mercedes:**_

_You'll find it in the words of others  
A simple line can make you laugh or cry  
__**Brittany:**__  
You'll find it in the deepest friendship  
The kind you cherish all your life  
__**Santana:**_

_And when you know how much it means  
You've found that special thing  
You're flying without wings  
__**Mike:**__  
So, impossible as they may seem  
You've got to fight for every dream  
__**Quinn:**_

_Cuz who's to know which one you let go  
Would have made you complete  
__**Finn:  
**__Well, for me it's waking up beside you  
To watch the sunrise on your face  
__**Puck:**_

_To know that I can say I love you  
In any given time or place  
__**Rachel:**__  
It's little things that only I know  
Those are the things that make you mine  
__**Artie:**_

_And it's like flying without wings  
Cos you're my special thing  
I'm flying without wings  
__**Quinn:**__  
And you're the place my life begins  
You'll be where it ends  
I'm flying without wings  
__**Finn:**_

_And that's the joy you bring  
I'm flying without wings_

When the strings brought the sound to a finish, the audience was immediately applauding. Rachel felt really good about that song. Everyone single person had done a great job. But it was time for the hard part, singing with Puck. As the audience continued their applause the group moved into their places for 'Against All Odds'. Rachel hated this song but only because it involved a lot of ballroom dancing with Puck. And also because it spoke of love that would never return; which right now she could relate to more than she had wished. Rachel and Puck took front and center as everyone else coupled up behind them. Kurt and Brittany, Santana and Hank, Mike and Kristine, and Matt and Mercedes took up the back row, while Finn and Quinn then Artie and Tina took up behind Rachel and Puck.

_**Puck:**__  
How can I just let you walk away,  
Just let you leave without a trace,  
When I'm standing taking every breath,  
With you, ooohhh,  
You're the only one who really knew me,  
At all._

_**Rachel:**__  
How can you just walk away from me,  
When all I can do is watch you leave,  
Cause we shared the laughter and the pain,  
And even shared the tears,  
You're the only one who really knew me at all.  
__**Group:**__  
So take a look at me now_

_**Rachel:**__  
There's just an empty space,  
There's nothing left here to remind me,  
Just the memory of your face,  
So take a look at me now,  
There's just an empty space,  
and you coming back to me, is against the odds  
And that's what I've got to face.  
__**Puck:**__  
I wish I could just make you turn around,  
Turn around and see me cry,  
There's so much I need to say to you,  
So many reasons why,  
You're the only one who really knew me at all.  
__**  
**__So take a look at me now,  
There's just an empty space,  
There's nothing left here to remind me,  
Just the memory of your face,  
_

_**Rachel:**_

_So take a look at me now,  
So there's just an empty space,  
But to wait for you is all I can do,  
When that's what I've got to face._

_Take a good look at me now,  
Cause I'll be standing here,  
(__**Puck: **__Standing here)  
And you coming back to me is against all odds,  
And that's the chance I've got to take._

_**Group:**__  
Got to take  
Got to take_

_**Rachel**__  
Ooh  
Take a look at me now_

_**Group:**__  
Take a look at me now.  
_

Rachel was proud of her performance, and of Puck. There was no a single thing she was have critiqued. He had been able to pull out all the stops when it came down to competition and she was glad. 'One more song' she tells herself as the move into their places for Livin' on a Prayer. Rachel was on stage left and Puck on stage right, the boys surrounding Puck the girls doing the same around Rachel. As the song started, Artie rolled himself to the front of the stage to start everything off.

_**Artie: (spoken)**_

_Once upon a time  
Not so long ago  
_**Puck:**_  
Tommy used to work on the docks  
Union's been on strike  
He's down on his luck...it's tough, so tough  
_**Rachel:**

_Gina works the diner all day  
Working for her man, she brings home her pay  
For love - for love  
_**Group:**_  
She says we've got to hold on to what we've got  
'cause it doesn't make a difference  
If we make it or not  
We've got each other and that's a lot  
For love - we'll give it a shot  
_**  
**_Whooah, we're half way there  
Livin' on a prayer  
Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear  
Livin' on a prayer  
__**Puck:**__  
Tommy's got his six string in hock  
Now he's holding in what he used  
To make it talk - so tough, it's tough  
__**Rachel:**_

_Gina dreams of running away  
When she cries in the night  
Tommy whispers baby it's okay, someday  
_**Group:**_  
We've got to hold on to what we've got  
'cause it doesn't make a difference  
If we make it or not  
We've got each other and that's a lot  
For love - we'll give it a shot_

**Group:  
**_Whooah, we're half way there  
Livin' on a prayer  
Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear  
Livin' on a prayer  
_**Rachel/Puck:**_  
We've got to hold on ready or not  
You live for the fight when it's all that you've got_

**Group:  
**_Whooah, we're half way there  
Livin' on a prayer  
Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear  
Livin' on a prayer_

Their hands were raised in the air as there was a moment of absolute silence between the band finishing and the audience erupting in applause. A standing ovation for New Directions as they all bowed and walked off stage.

Once everyone was off stage, everyone was hugging each other. With the exception of Puck and Rachel who gave each other a nod of congratulations for making it through all of that without killing each other. New Directions went and took their seat in the audience and watched as the two other schools they were competing against performed. Rachel remembered both schools from the year before and noticed that both teams had improved; however, Rachel was not worried that her team could pull it off since they had been able to overcome all the fighting they (well really just her and Puck) had been doing.

When the groups finished there was a short intermission while the judges conferred. Usually this was time when Mr. Shuester would gather everyone together and made one of his great speeches about how great they are and it doesn't matter what the judges say because he's proud of them and yadda yadda but Rachel was shocked when Mr. Shuester gave no indication that he was going to do so.

"Do you think he's still mad? He looks like he did after we did 'Push It'" Rachel asked Quinn who she had been standing talking about plans for the next day.

"If he's still mad that makes me mad. Cause we rocked it up there! There is no need for the look on his face."

"Then what do you think is wrong?"

"Girl problems I assume. Ms. Pillsbury isn't here with us so there has to be a reason."

"Will all teams please make their way to the stage," a voice boomed through the auditorium interrupting the conversation that Rachel and Quinn were having.

Everyone gathered on stage, Quinn reached out and grabbed Rachel's hand, as well as Finn's, giving them both a smile. They didn't need Mr. Shuester's pep talks; they knew they were awesome despite what the judges said.

"Alright ladies and gentleman," the announcer started, "The judges have made a decision. In third place…"

Rachel gave Quinn's hand a slight squeeze as it was announced that one of the other schools had placed third.

"And the school that has placed first this year is…" the announcer made a suspenseful pause which Rachel hated and promised she would investigate the creator of such a torturous so she could hate him, "William McKinley's New Directions."

The fourteen members of New Directions and Mr. Shuester, who seemed in a much better mood celebrated as Will accepted the trophy. Everyone was celebrating similarly to that when they had gotten off stage but this time there was so much more excitement in the air. They may have hit a roadblock by not winning sectionals, but what that allowed for was for them to come together and gain more to their family so that they could start the journey all over again and stronger than ever.

* * *

I wish that I was creative enough to come up with dance routines to insert during these songs but I have no knowledge of dance so I figure its better for me not to try and you can come up with your own little routines while you're reading it. I'm having some trouble coming up with songs for regionals so if you have any ideas (or even if its an idea for Rachel to sing in the auditorium. Or anyone really) let me know..

As for what is to come before regionals….does anyone remember Jimmy Crawford from Cry Till We See?


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Alright, so here is where the fun starts! Thank you again for everyone who is reading, reviewing, alerting, favoriting, etc, etc this story! It really does make me unbelievably happy. A little disclaimer up here there is some violence in this chapter, nothing to graphic but it involves a gun. I don't think it involves me uping the rating, but if someone thinks otherwise let me know. I have no idea if any of them read this but this chapter is dedicated to the girls at the Puckleberry Thread on glee , who have expanded my love for Puckleberry and gave me the motivation (through our discussion of the couple) to finish this chapter which went far too long as a blank screen. Okay, on with it….

* * *

It had been two weeks since New Directions had taken home their second consecutive first place victory at sectionals. Most of those two weeks were spent with Mr. Shuester trying to find the right songs to fit the group when they performed at regionals. It was obvious that New Directions would have to make sure they were better than last year and that meant making sure the music was superior as well. After a long lecture from Quinn, Puck had decided that he would stay in glee, if and only if, he and Rachel could manage not to bicker and argue through everything. So far, so good.

Even though she enjoyed being around all of her friends, Rachel had designated Wednesday as the day of the week where she would spend lunchtime in the auditorium. Puck, of course, sat in his hiding spot as Rachel sat on the stage. He found it odd that today Rachel was singing, but she wasn't singing to an accompaniment of the song, but with the song itself, as if she was singing along to the radio.

_So what if it hurts me?  
So what if I break down?  
So what if this world just throws me off the edge  
My feet run out of ground  
I gotta find my place  
I wanna hear my sound  
Don't care about all the pain in front of me  
Cause I'm just trying to be happy, yeah  
Just wanna be happy, yeah_

Rachel had heard this song in the car with Quinn the other day and she fell immediately in love with it; but she couldn't find the instrumental version. But even then, while she was sitting in the auditorium, she didn't feel like giving an empty room the full Rachel Berry performance. She couldn't really explain it but there was something off today. She was running late again this morning and almost left the house without the paper she had been working on for the last two weeks. She couldn't seem to concentrate in her first four classes and was really excited that lunch came around. She said goodbye to Quinn, headed to the auditorium, and just put on the play list she had made the night before. She sat at the edge of the stage, leaned back onto her hands, and just sang along to whatever song came on. She was happy when the Leona Lewis song came on (no pun intended). Over the last couple of weeks, things with Rachel and Puck had been quiet. Mr. Shuester seemed to be giving all of the duets to either Rachel and Finn or Finn and Quinn. It seems he had finally learned that giving solos out because other students thought it was a good idea, was not the way he needed to run his glee club. Not that Mr. Shuester thought Puck couldn't handle the lead spot, he helped them win sectionals with that voice, but they needed to keep the drama to a minimum.

Rachel's favorite part of about the song was the lyrics and that they spoke about hurting yourself for happiness. It made her think about her situation with Puck. She was acting the only way she knew to keep her heart from hurting and now in return she was hurting just as much, if not more. Instead of allowing herself to be open to being hurt, she was shutting out the only person she thought could make her heart really happy. During the middle of the night, two days before, she almost called Puck. She almost called him and told him that she missed him and that she wanted him back and then thought that she had no right to say that to him. But then the song came to her and she realized that she might have to get rejected just to see where both her and Puck stood but then realized it was too late to make any phone calls since he would most likely be asleep and then the next day she had talked herself out of it all. Instead, she wondered how much time it was going to take to heal this wound so she could move on with her life.

As the bell rang, Rachel was almost reluctant to return to her day. She exited the hallway and began the journey to her locker when suddenly there was a deafening noise coming from down the hall. Rachel stopped a moment confused and as the stampede of students came running down the hallway Rachel realized that the sound she had been a gunshot. Rachel stayed fixed as her classmates ran around her, she knew that she should be running out of the building or somewhere safe but for some reason she couldn't convince her brain to send the right messages to her muscles to move. Suddenly she was moving, being dragged by something that had a tight grip around her waist. And before she could figure out what was going on she was back inside the auditorium. As the door slammed behind her Rachel's mind suddenly realized she should be been panicking as she frantically wiggled her way out of the grasp that had her and slowly turned around.

Not really sure what or who to expect Rachel's heart calmed just a bit when she realized that it had been Puck who had taken a hold of her.

"What is wrong with you? Why were you just standing there?" Puck shouted at Rachel who just stared at him for a minute.

She didn't get a chance to answer him when the other entrance to the auditorium opened and in walked Finn, Quinn, Kurt, Mercedes, Tina and Artie. Rachel turned to look at her friends with confusion but then relief washed over her face to know that her friends were okay.

"What are you guys doing here?" Puck said as he and Rachel started walking towards the other group.

"We were on our way here to get Rachel when the gunshots started. So we ran in here to make sure she was alright." Quinn said as everyone met in the center of the auditorium.

"Yeah she wouldn't have been since she thought it would be a great idea to stand there as chaos ensued around her."

Rachel shot Puck a look to scold him for outing her lapse in judgment, "Ensued?"

Puck rolled his eyes. Why were people still questioning him when he was using words he didn't usually even understand? It was like Rachel Berry was the only one that was allowed to sound like they were educated, "Whatever. You're welcome."

Rachel let up on the anger that she felt, "Thank you, Noah."

They heard more gunshots coming from the hallway.

"We need to lock these doors," Finn said and everyone immediately went to work at securing themselves inside the auditorium. With the amount of time that was spent in the room, it was easy to get everything, including the back doors, locked. No one was getting in, and no one was daring go out.

The eight of them moved to the stage and sat and Rachel noticed that everyone seemed to be coupled off. With the exception of her and Puck of course. So instead, Rachel took a seat next to Quinn, and Puck next to Finn.

"I got a text from Brittany. Her, Santana, Mike and Matt are okay. They got out right after the first shots were fired." Mercedes announced to the group.

"And Hank stayed home from school today." Kurt said thankful his boyfriend had over reacted to his acquiring a cold and chosen to spend the day in bed.

"Kristine texted me and her and Jason are fine." Rachel said.

Rachel watched as Quinn and Finn grabbed tightly to each other's hands.

"Damn it," Puck said frustrated.

"Dude, it'll be alright. We're locked in here for now," Finn said trying to comfort his friend.

"That's not it. Well this sucks yes but I can't get a hold of Jessica. I called her once and sent her several texts and she's not answering."

"I'm sure she's fine Puck. I'm sure there is a lot going on out there and cell phones are the least of anyone's priorities," Quinn said and Puck just nodded.

Rachel could visibly see that Puck was worried about Jessica, not that she could blame him. Her father's had text her several times already and she could only imagine that they were feeling the same way that Puck was at the moment.

"Ugh, my phone chooses now to decide that service inside that place is going to suck," Kurt said.

Everyone else sighs when their cell phones won't receive any service as well. They sit there for an hour, almost entirely silent. Tina and Artie decided to share the headphones on Artie's ipod and watch some T.V show that he had on there. Mercedes and Kurt were just flipping through a magazine. Other than that, it was practically silent, which was hard on Rachel. Everyone knew Rachel liked to talk and that she talked a lot. But to Rachel talking on and on was better than dealing with awkward silence. Rachel hated it. So as the first hour of them sitting in there completed, Rachel found herself humming to herself. It wasn't long after that that everyone else began to actually start having conversations, most consisted of frantic hypotheses of what was going on outside the auditorium doors. Puck lets out a frustrated groan and before anyone knew what was going Puck was stalking through the seats of the auditorium towards the doors.

"Puck what are you doing?" Finn called to his best friend from his seat on the stage, but it is Rachel the group sees chase after him.

"Noah, what do you think you're doing?" Rachel says but Puck doesn't stop until Rachel grabs his arm when he is almost at the doors.

"It's been quiet for over and hour. For all we know they caught the idiot and we're just sitting here for nothing," Puck said looking at Rachel.

"Noah, I don't think that is a wise idea. I would rather sit here and wait for someone to find us then risk going on there and coming face to face with a kid with a gun."

"Great. That might work for all of you, but I'm going insane sitting here. I'm not asking any of you to come with me, but I'm going."

"Noah-"

"God Rachel can you please stop? You have to stop criticizing everything that I do."

"You think that's what I'm doing? By asking you not to go out there and risk your life you think that I'm criticizing you?"

"Rachel that's all you've been doing since school started up again. You know this was why I was going to quit glee," Puck snapped.

Rachel was quiet and Puck's words hit her, hard. He was going to quit glee because of her. It was her fault that things were less than amicable between then. But screw amicable if he was going to go and put himself in danger because he couldn't manage to sit still for a few hours!

"Now I'm going to leave and if everything is alright I'll come back and let you know. But since you seem to be so worried make sure you lock the door behind me," Puck said turning his attention from the hurt on Rachel's face to the door. Unlocking the door, Puck opened it and stepped into the deserted hallway. It was quiet and there were abandoned books and bags lying on the floor. At the end of the hallway, Puck could see the lights from the cop cars outside through the windows. Puck took a few steps down the hall before he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around quickly.

"Rachel, I told you-" Puck started and then stopped. He tried to control his emotions as he came face to face with a face he recognized, but it wasn't Rachel's; it belonged to Jimmy Crawford. And Puck would have just ignored Jimmy, he had been doing it for years, but there was a gun in Jimmy's hand and it was pointed directly at Puck's chest.

"Whoa, Crawford what are you doing?" Puck said putting his hands up in surrender.

"Don't play dumb Puckerman! Now how about we get back inside the auditorium with all your little friends," Jimmy said motioning to the down with the gun.

"There isn't anyone in there," Puck said.

"You're a horrible liar. And I could hear Rachel Berry arguing with you. You must teach her how to keep her large mouth quiet when the situation counts on it."

"What do you want Jimmy?" Puck asked hoping that he could avoid bringing everyone in the auditorium into the mess he found himself in. He knew he should have listened to Rachel.

"Back inside the auditorium."

"They locked the door,"

"Get them to open it,"

Puck walked back towards the auditorium door and immediately could hear Rachel arguing with someone inside. He really was going to have to talk to her about her volume. Puck gave Jimmy a look but as Jimmy waved the gun again he knocked on the door. He heard a squeak come from Rachel, and then nothing. He knocked again.

"Rach, it's Noah," Puck said.

He wasn't sure if this was the right thing because if Puck didn't do what Jimmy asked he knew that Jimmy would shoot him. Okay he didn't really know if Jimmy actually had the balls to pull the trigger but Puck wasn't really sure he was ready to bet against him. But Puck knew that if Rachel opened that door then he was putting his friends in danger. But what if Jimmy shot Puck and they came running out and then he got them anyway. Puck wasn't exactly sure what was right. All he knew was that he had to be calm and a badass and hopefully he could get everyone through this with the most minimal amount damage. When the door didn't open, Puck just stood there. Puck reached for the door handle, hoping to find that it was still locked as he pulled the door opened and he saw that Rachel was still standing right outside the door. Puck watched as fear overtook her and her eyes widened. Puck gave her a look to hopefully keep her calm as he walked through the threshold, Jimmy right behind him. Everyone on the stage jumped to their feet watching as Puck walked in held at gunpoint.

"You two, on stage," Jimmy said pointing the gun at Rachel, then lifting it towards the stage, "And the rest of you stay right were you are."

Puck immediately reached out for Rachel's hand, pulling her in front of him as they walked to the stage. Rachel may have been a pain in his ass right then but there was no way he was going to let her be between him and a gunman. Puck pushed Rachel along as all the eyes on stage followed them as they climbed the steps and joined the group.

As Jimmy stalked towards the stage, Finn pushed Quinn behind him possessively. Jimmy stopped in front of the stage; he lifted his gun to let it scan across all eight teens, horror flashed across all their faces, with the exception of Puck. It wasn't that Puck wasn't afraid, he kind of was, not that he would ever admit that aloud. But Jimmy was expecting Puck to be a badass and though Puck was usually the bully, he knew that when antagonized by a bully to not let them see they are affecting you, thus making their intimidation obsolete. He'd learned that from Rachel, obviously having memorized it word for word.

But Puck can see the fear in Jimmy's eyes. He was doing a hell of a job showing his anger but Puck could see though the façade. Behind him, Puck could hear Rachel sniffle and he knew she was crying. He could hear the same sounds from across the stage and knew that at least one of the others girls, or Kurt, were crying as well. Puck couldn't deal with all the crying girls and wanted this whole ordeal to just be over so he could be home and that everyone could be safe. But he was surprised when the first voice to break the almost complete silence came from Tina.

"W-why are you d-doing this?" Tina said trying to control the wavering of her voice as well as her stutter. Though she faked it through all those years, in moments of fear or nervousness the stutter seemed to reappear.

Jimmy was quiet for a moment and when he spoke, his voice boomed through the auditorium, "Why? You actually ask me why? You already know. It's because of people like him," Jimmy said pointing at Puck. Everyone was quiet as Jimmy continued, "I spend most days I'm in this school afraid. Afraid of slushies to the face and getting thrown in a dumpsters and lockers. And sometimes I manage to escape but other times I go home and to my mother yelling that I stained my clothes. Instead of all of that crap, I wanted to come here, if even for one day, and have everyone fear me. But I don't have any social power so I brought some power from home," Jimmy said waving the gun again.

From behind Puck, Rachel couldn't help the tears that fell from here eyes as Jimmy spoke. She understood how Jimmy felt and even if she never let the bullying stifle her ambition, she was able to have some understanding of his pain. But never had the thought of bringing a gun and shooting her tormentors crossed her mind. She was strictly against all forms of violence, especially those where the victim is unable to properly protect themselves.

Without thinking, Rachel took a step forward, reached for Puck's left hand, and was happy, and a bit calmer, when she felt his grip tighten around her hand.

"How can you do that?" Jimmy barked towards Rachel, "Rachel how can you treat him so kindly and even date him after everything he's done to you? And her too," Jimmy said pointing his gun towards Quinn who moved farther behind Finn, "How can you forget about the slushies and the name calling and the other various ways they tortured you and be able to be their friends?"

Rachel gave Puck's hand a reassuring squeeze, "Because they've changed. They may have done those things before but their different people now."

If the situation was any different Puck would have argued that he was most definitely still a badass but as Kurt, Tina, Artie, and Mercedes accepted Rachel's answer Puck kept his mouth shut.

"Changed? Since when?" Jimmy shouted, "Maybe Quinn but it was Puck who just last February threw me in a dumpster. Why? Because he was pissed that Rachel Berry dumped his ass again. You really should try not to think out loud when you're tormenting people."

Puck remembered that day. He was pissed and he took it out on those around him. He had been trying to get back the "Puck" he thought he lost when he was with Rachel.

"Look, dude," Puck said, "I get that what I did was wrong. What I did to Rachel and everyone else was wrong. And nothing I say will excuse what I did. But I can try to make everything as right as I can."

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?"

"I'm the only one here that's done anything to hurt you. Let them go and we," Puck said gesturing between himself and Jimmy, "can work this out."

Jimmy hesitated for a minute and Rachel fought the urge to argue. She was very not okay with leaving Puck alone in here with a gun-wielding psychopath.

"Fine. Everyone out," Jimmy said and everyone stood still.

"Puck, man. We're not going anywhere without you."

"Finn, get everyone out of here. I'm going to be fine," Puck said giving him a sharp look that he hoped would translate in Finn's not so sharp mind to do as he said; and Puck was happy when Finn's nodded and began to usher everyone off the stage. But Rachel kept her place and had a death grip on his hand.

"Rach, you have to go with them," Puck said turning to look at her. What he was met with here tear stained cheeks and fresh tears practically pouring from her eyes.

"I'm not leaving you," Rachel said her voice rough through the crying.

"Hey," Puck said reaching up and wiping one of the tears from her cheek, "I'm going to be alright. So go with Quinn and Finn. I promise everything will be fine."

"You can promise something like that Noah,"

"Hey. I promise," Puck said giving Rachel a look that he hadn't given her in a really long time. The look that meant trust me even though you don't want to.

Rachel nodded and reluctantly let go of Puck's hand and moved to meet Quinn and Finn who were waiting for her and in the front row of the auditorium. When Rachel reached Quinn, she grabbed on tightly to her blonde friends arms and allowed Quinn and Finn to practically drag her out of the auditorium.

Maybe Jimmy wasn't the wisest man with a gun because he didn't seem to realize that he let seven of his eight hostages go; and once they hit the lobby of the auditorium, Artie, Tina, Kurt and Mercedes immediately ran outside for help. Finn tried to follow but he realized that Quinn stopped next to him and turned to see Rachel refusing to move any farther than right outside the auditorium doors.

"I might not be able to be in there with him, but I'm not leaving him alone."

~~~~*~~~~

Inside the auditorium, Puck watched as Jimmy moved to walk up the stairs he had just watched Rachel walk down. It killed him to see the look of pain on her face but he had gotten his friends out of the situation that he seemed to have put them in, out; and that was all that mattered.

"Are you afraid Puck?"

"No," Puck said.

Jimmy stood in front of Puck and looked him up and down as if he was trying to understand Puck just by looking at him. Suddenly, Jimmy raised the hand with the gun and slapped Puck across the face with the gun. Puck's jaw went numb and he could taste the blood that had escaped to the inside of his mouth. It took all of the restraint Puck had not to retaliate. Puck knew that no matter what he did, Jimmy still had a gun.

"Are you afraid now Puckerman?" Jimmy said as Puck remained in the same place.

Puck turned his head to the right and spit another large amount of blood out of his mouth, "Nope."

Jimmy once again crashed his gun into the side of Puck's face.

Puck spit another large amount of blood from his mouth, "I'm not afraid of you Jimmy, I just feel sorry for you."

Jimmy stared Puck in the eye, "Well that's unfortunate."

Outside the auditorium, Rachel was being held across the hall by Quinn. She tried several times to run back into the auditorium but Finn always ended up standing in front of her and even though she tried her hardest, there was no way she was ever going to get around Finn.

"Where are they with the help?" Rachel said, "They went to get them forever ago."

"Rachel give them time," Quinn said trying to calm her friend down.

"Noah is in there with a maniac, he may not have enough time for me to 'give them time'" Rachel snapped.

Quinn looked at Finn, "Maybe we should take her out of here. It's not helping her standing out here."

"I would appreciate if you two would not speak of me like I am not right here. If you must know I feel that if I leave my currently position then I might just end up more-"

Rachel quieted when she heard a gunshot come from inside the auditorium. Immediately she pushed herself out of Quinn's grasp, managed to dodge the unsuspecting Finn and run back into the auditorium.

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Cliffhanger! R&R please!


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I know you all probably are so mad right now that I left you with that cliffhanger and then took so long to update! Real life just kind of got in the way. But hopefully it won't happen again. Thank you to everyone who reads, reviews, favorites, alerts, etc! You are the reason this story isn't only in my head!

Oh and some of the hospital stuff in here only comes from my viewing of General Hospital and Greys Anatomy. So I'm sure something doesn't come across as logical or realistic but for the sake of this story it will be.

So Enjoy….and R&R!

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Rachel stood in front of all her friends in the cemetery. She stood there silently, glanced from face to face, and watched as the tears slide down each and every one of their faces, staining tracks down their cheeks. If she had had a mirror, her face would match theirs. Behind her lay a dark cedar casket which held a precious boy taken from the world far too soon. It had been raining all day and though it had ceased for the time being, the world around them held a dreary ambiance.

Rachel remembered standing in front of the mirror that morning getting dressed, deciding on his favorite black skirt and a black sweater, that all the darkness and dampness was the universe's way to tell her that this was wrong. That she should not be dressing for this occasion at the age of seventeen.

Finn got up and walked up to her and simply put his big hand on her shoulder and Rachel struggled not to lose what little control of her emotions she had at that moment. Rachel looked up into Finn's teary eyes and nodded as she walked back to stand next to Quinn. Rachel looked around and watched as everyone was latched on to someone, everyone was leaning into someone but she just stood there, alone. She wasn't sure she could handle it if anyone embraced her; she was completely determined not to break down here, not in front of everyone, and especially not in front of him. She instead clung tightly to the jacket in her arms, pulling it as close to her as possible, trying to stay strong.

"Puck and I got in a lot of trouble as kids. Actually, he was always getting in trouble and he always managed to get me to tag along. He'd done a lot of stupid things in his life but he always had the best intentions," Finn spoke about his friend, his best friend, "If he were standing here right now he'd be teasing me for speaking like such a chick. He had a funny way of showing it, but he cared about each and every one of us. But there was a time, when I thought that I didn't care about him, that he was out of my life. And I wish now that I had all of that time back."

Finn walked back to join the group and no one moved for a long time, they just stood there in a deafening silence that almost tore Rachel apart. Rachel could hear Quinn take a deep breath before she moved to the front of the group, but she didn't look at anyone, just at the ground beneath her feet.

"It isn't right that he's gone. Its not. But I can't help but be a little envious," Quinn said before looking up to the sky, "Puck, you get to meet our little girl. So say hello for me," Quinn broke down sobbing the loss of both her daughter and Puck washing over her and she walked back to Finn, burying her face into his chest as she continued to cry.

Rachel took slow steps as she made her way back to the front of the crowd. This was not the type of spotlight she had wanted. She wanted not to be here. She wanted this whole thing over with so she could crawl into her bed and stay there forever. He was gone; there was no need to live. Though, instead of addressing her audience Rachel Berry turned around and looked at the casket, at the one person she wanted to speak to, to sing to, to sing for. Rachel ran her hand against the smooth wood that housed everything she wanted, and needed.

_Live in my house, I'll be your shelter_

_Just pay me back, with one thousand kisses_

_Be my lover, and I'll cover you._

Rachel sang out suddenly, her voice not the powerhouse it usually was. Instead, it was barely audible to the rest of the group but they immediately joined her, singing to their fallen friend. By the end of the song, Rachel couldn't hold herself together any longer. She didn't care how embarrassing it was, she fell to the ground, still grasping onto the jacket in her hand as tears poured from her eyes. She wanted him back; she wanted everything to be right again. She loved Puck; she loved Noah and he was gone. Her friends gathered around her, Mike enveloped her in his arms, and everyone around them did the same. It was a group hug, but there was one very crucial part of their group missing but together they would mourn the loss. Suddenly, gunshots rang out and everyone turned to see Jimmy Crawford standing a smoking gun in his hand pointed at the group. He fired again.

Rachel woke with a start. She had been expecting to wake up from that nightmare in her bed but when she felt someone's wrapped around her instead of a blanket, and someone's chest instead of her pillow, she quickly opened her eyes. Her eyes scanned the room and saw Finn and Quinn cuddled together sleeping in chairs a few feet away. There were few people in the area she was in but from all the people running around in scrubs, she realized that she was in the hospital. She looked up and found that it was Mike's arm and chest that she had substituted for her bed and wondered when she fell asleep. Rachel's eyes scanned the room again. She could tell that it was dark outside from the window in the distance, but she had no idea how late it really was. Rachel's eyes settled on a small woman on the other side of the room. She was curled up into the chair and there was a small girl in the seat next to her asleep. The woman's face was facing the door as if she was waiting as patiently as she could for someone to walk out of it. If Rachel hadn't recognized the sleeping little girl as Lily Puckerman, she would never have known that the woman waiting so anxiously was Deborah Puckerman.

Slowly and as quietly as possible, Rachel managed to wiggle her way out of Mike's hold without waking him. She stood, straightening her skirt. She had only met Ms. Puckerman a few times and they had small conversations on the phone, but Rachel had yet to really feel comfortable around her, especially now that she and Puck weren't together. But Rachel took a deep breath and made her way across the room anyway. As Rachel got closer, she realized that Ms. Puckerman was wiping her eyes. Rachel heard Ms. Puckerman sniffle before she put her hand down on her shoulder, startling the older woman.

"I'm sorry to scare you Ms. Puckerman," Rachel said quietly as to not wake up Lily.

"Oh, Rachel," Ms. Puckerman said wiping the latest tears from her eyes, "Come, sit down," she said as she motioned to the empty chair on the side opposite of her sleeping daughter.

Rachel sat down so that she was facing Ms. Puckerman and the mature woman reached out and grabbed Rachel's hand. Rachel took a look at Ms. Puckerman's face and nearly broke into tears again.

"How is he?" Rachel said with a shaky voice. The last thing she remembered from before she fell asleep was that the doctors were waiting on some test results before they could go any further.

"He, uh-," Ms. Puckerman started then paused to control her voice and emotions before continuing, "They took him into surgery a couple hours ago. Supposedly whatever they have to do takes a lot longer. And they came out here like a half hour ago and said there were some problems but they fixed them and they haven't been back since. So I'm hoping that means that they're almost done."

Rachel squeezed Ms. Puckerman's hand trying not to worry herself too much. There had been problems? What kind of problems? But for as calm as Ms. Puckerman was right then Rachel thought freaking out would not be the best idea.

"I'm glad you were with him Rachel. I'm just glad he wasn't alone after that monster," Ms. Puckerman's voice trailed off and she let go of Rachel's hand to wrap her arms around herself like there was a chilly breeze.

Rachel just nodded trying to block the memories from the auditorium from her mind with no avail. The first thing she'd seen when she'd run back into the auditorium was Puck's body laying on the stage. She could see the blood pouring from Puck's chest as Jimmy just back away. Rachel immediately ran through the aisles of the auditorium, somehow losing her heels in the process before she got to the stage. Immediately she was at Puck's side. His face was already pale and the she remembered thinking that the blood coming from Puck's chest looked nothing the way it did on television or in the movies that Mike made her watch. In real life, blood didn't look cool and Rachel was grateful for her lack of gag reflex. She had been glad that her bag had still been in there and she reached inside and grabbed the extra t-shirt she had inside, happy that no one had gotten around to giving her a slushie facial yet and used it to apply pressure on the wound. It felt like forever that they sat there, wondering again, where the paramedics were. Until she heard Jimmy mumbling something to himself, she had forgotten that he was even there. She turned to look at him but Puck's voice called her back to him.

"Hey, don't worry about him," he had said.

"Noah, there's so much blood," Rachel said as she applied a little more pressure.

But Puck just shushed her and reached up to put his hand over hers. Rachel was scared. Not because there was a boy with a gun standing behind her, but because the boy in front of her was probably bleeding to death underneath her.

"Hands, touching hands, reaching out. Touching me, touching you," Puck started singing and if she weren't in this situation, Rachel would have laughed and she would have felt better. Because Puck knew that it was that song that calmed her. If she were scared, or angry, or frustrated with anything, Puck would always sing it to her. Whether it was while he was holding her or over the phone after she'd called him in the middle of the night after a nightmare, Puck knew that that song would calm her. And despite the pain that was coursing through his body, he couldn't take the look of pain in Rachel's eyes.

Rachel had no idea how much time had passed before the EMTs and the police officers burst into the auditorium. But once the paramedics got to Puck, she reluctantly backed away. Quinn was by her side as she watched the paramedics situate Puck onto a stretcher, and the police officers handcuff Jimmy and take him into custody. After that, everything was a little foggy. She's pretty sure that Finn drove Quinn and herself to the hospital and she remembered waiting there before she fell asleep. But what she didn't remember was Jessica being there. But as Jessica came around the corner, you could tell that she was worried and that she had been crying. Rachel had no idea how long she had been at the hospital but when Jessica just settled into a chair, her red locks pulled high on her head in a ponytail, Rachel figured she'd been here long enough. Jessica and Rachel exchanged glances but nothing more before the doctor came out. Ms. Puckerman immediately jumped to her feet and walked over to the doctor leaving Rachel who got up and walked back to her friends on the other side of the room. She nudged Quinn awake and almost immediately, Finn woke up as well. Rachel looked over at Mike who had woken up at some point as well before he got up and joined them. Rachel watched as Ms. Puckerman finished talking to the doctor, then walked over to Jessica, said something that got her up from her seat and moved over to join the other four teenagers.

"Noah is out of surgery. They expect him to be fine but for right now he's sleeping," Ms. Puckerman said, "Now it's getting late and I'm sure after today all of your parents want you home. There's no need for you to be here right now."

The tightening in Rachel's chest loosened just a bit when Puck's mother said he was likely to be okay, but it sank when she was told they would have to leave. She looked Ms. Puckerman straight in the eye trying to plead with her eyes to be allowed to stay. When Ms. Puckerman nodded, Rachel gave a weak smile in return.

~~~~*~~~~

When Puck woke up the only thing he knew was that it was morning since the sun was coming uncomfortably bright through the window of his room. He wasn't quite sure where he was until he was able to hear and see the monitors and the IV they had him hooked on. And unless someone had taken him hostage and locked him in a clean basement to steal his organs, he was pretty sure he was in the hospital, alone. Well at least he thinks he's alone until he can hear someone breathing. His eyes try to focus against the sleepiness and the sunlight and he can see a figure sleeping on the chair across the room. When his eyes finally adjusted, Puck is immediately confused when he sees that the figure is Rachel. He had expected his mother, surprised that she wasn't even in the room hovering. Puck took in Rachel's sleeping form. She was wrapped up in a blanket in a chair that looked entirely too uncomfortable and she would probably complain about how sleeping like that would be bad for her posture. That and the fact that there really wasn't a reason for her to be there is what left Puck wondering why exactly she was there. Puck watched as Rachel shifted and then opened her eyes.

"Hi," Rachel said her voice still heavy with sleep.

"Hi," Puck said bewildered as he watched as Rachel stood up out of the chair and straightened her clothes, and then folded the blanket she previously had wrapped around her.

It was quiet for a moment as Rachel just stood there looking at him. She was so glad that he was awake, but she never expected that she would be alone in the room with him when it happened.

"So, uh. Is everyone else alright?" Puck said.

"What?" Rachel said startled that Puck was asking questions, "Oh, yeah. Your mom was here a little while ago but she left to drop your sister off at school. She said she'd be right back. Everyone else is home I presume."

"And Jimmy?"

"The police took him into custody,"

"Good," Puck said.

It was obvious the two were tiptoeing around each other. Rachel wasn't sure how much Puck could take in his condition. He had just had major surgery and she wasn't willing to risk any complications by causing a scene but as the tears began pouring from her eyes again she wished she had better control of her emotions.

"Why are you crying?" Puck asked in a whispered voice.

Rachel shook her head and wiped furiously at the tears on her face, "Nothing. It's nothing."

"Rachel, if you're going to cry in front of me you at least need to tell me why."

"I don't want to put anymore stress on you Noah. You've just had major surgery."

"Rach," he said simply.

"Alright fine. It's just that you made me a promise when I left you in the auditorium that you were going to be okay. And then you weren't and now you're laying there talking to me. You broke your promise but I'm just relieved you're awake."

"Come here," he said and Rachel just looked at him confused, "Rachel are you really going to be difficult right now?"

Rachel shook her head and walked closer to the bed until she was close enough for Puck to reach out and grab Rachel's hand. Rachel used her free hand to wipe away the tears from her face again.

"I didn't break my promise," Puck said tightening his grip on Rachel's hand, "I'm here and I am going to be okay. Besides, gunshot wounds are totally badass."

Rachel couldn't help but smile as Puck made a joke. It was good to see that he was getting back to his old self. Rachel watched as Puck's attention switched away from her to somewhere outside the room. Rachel watched as Jessica was pacing around the hallway outside the room. Puck couldn't believe that through all of this his mind had never gone to Jessica. Granted he'd only been awake for a little while, but he full expected her to be the first one he saw, aside from his mother and sister of course.

"She really cares about you, you know? The only reason she left is because your mother made everyone leave," Rachel said pulling Puck from his thoughts.

"You're still here,"

"Your mom likes me."

"She does."

"I should probably let the doctors know you're awake," Rachel said pulling her hand from Puck's, immediately feeling a sense of loss as she went to grab her purse from the corner.

"You'll come back," Puck said not sure if that was a question or a statement.

"Later, maybe," Rachel said before stopping just before the door, "Quinn's coming to get me soon."

"Ok," Puck said as he watched her open the door and disappear into the hallway.

Once outside the room Rachel walked down the hall until she reached Jessica. She told her that Puck was awake and that she was going to go get a doctor and then Rachel started to walk towards the nurse's desk.

"Rachel," Jessica said. Rachel stopped but didn't turn around to look at the girl behind her, "He loves you. Like a lot. And he won't admit it. And I don't know what happened between you two, but it's obvious that you love him too. So, if he wants me I'll be there. But if he wants you. Well I just don't have it in me to fight for someone who loves someone else."

Rachel doesn't say anything but she just walks away. She alerts the doctors that Puck is awake and then goes to wait in front of the building for Quinn. She sits down on the wooden bench outside and almost immediately breaks down. She can't help it and she knows that she shouldn't be acting like this in public. But she can't help it as her body shakes and the tears run down her face and she's gasping for air because her lungs suddenly feel like they've imploded in her chest. And she doesn't notice when Quinn pulls her car up in front of her or when she gets out and wraps her arms around her. And as she's crying, she doesn't know why she's doing it. Maybe it's the relief that Puck was alright, all the stress of the previous twenty-four hours finally getting to her, or fear. Fear that Jessica's words might be true. It wasn't a fear of Puck loving her, but she'd realized more than ever over the last day that she, Rachel Berry, was in deed in love with Noah Puckerman. And she had to face the fear that she might actually get the chance to make him hers again.

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AN: If you didn't know…the song Rachel sang in her dream was I'll Cover You (reprise) from RENT. Angel's memorial was kind of the inspiration for that and it would only be right that Rachel dream in Broadway songs….so yeah R&R!


	7. Chapter 7

AN: I love you all! Thank you for all the reviews, including the "I was going to kill you" ones. I've got to keep you guys reading some how. But after the last two chapters and the wait I made you go through (I'm Sorry! Life got in the way) I think this chapter makes up for it. So without further adieu….and also Read and Review (yes I'm well aware that rhymed)

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William McKinley High School closed its doors for exactly twelve days after one of its students held eight students hostage, and then shot on of them in the chest. It had been a week since then. All the students at WMHS were adjusting to the changed atmosphere that surrounded them. But no one was attempting to adjust quite as much as the seven members of New Directions who had returned to school after that horrible event. Mr. Shuester had cancelled glee all week with the exception of that Monday where he called a mandatory meeting. Mr. Shuester asked Ms. Pillsbury to come in and talk to the group. But by the time everyone had walked out, Mr. Shuester was almost positive that none of them were listening. It wasn't like his students were stupid, they knew all about the different people they could talk to, him included. But what these kids needed right now, wasn't to talk. It was to have their world go back to normal and that included not having the constant reminder that one of their friends was lying in a hospital bed recovering from something that none of them could have saved him from.

Lunch had been becoming increasingly awkward for the teens. No one had plans to speak of; it felt like everyone's life was on hold as one of their own was missing. But while each of them was acknowledging their missing friend internally, none of them would talk about it. Lunch instead was spent in an uneasy silence. The entire room buzzed around them, but they remained mute.

By Tuesday, Rachel had had enough. So she decided to spend her lunch hour in the library. She had been avoiding the auditorium at all costs. It just reminded her of everything and in the library she allowed herself to hide inside of her homework as much as possible. She hadn't returned to the hospital since Puck had woken up despite the pleading that came from Quinn and Finn, even Mike. No one else knew what to say to her so they spent most of their time avoiding her. Rachel wasn't offended because she knew there was nothing to say. It was like this incident had made them unable to have even the simplest of conversations.

Puck came home from the hospital the day exactly two weeks after he'd entered, though he wasn't permitted to go to school for another two weeks. The group had taken turns going to visit him once Ms. Puckerman allowed him to have visitors. So Friday after school Quinn was sitting on Rachel's bed while Rachel was searching through her closet for the skirt that Quinn wanted to borrow.

"Finn and I are going to see Puck tonight." Quinn said to Rachel who was still buried in her closet.

Rachel didn't respond.

"Come on Rachel. You haven't seen him in two weeks. You never went back to the hospital with us even when you promised him you would."

"I never promised him that," Rachel said continuing her search.

"That's not what he told us,"

"Well he was mistaken."

"He wants to see you,"

"Please stop talking about this."

"Rachel you can't avoid him forever,"

"I'm not."

"Then what are you doing because to me it looks like you're avoiding him and its not-"

"Quinn, please drop it. Or you're not getting this skirt." Rachel said emerging from the closet.

"I don't want the skirt as much as I want to know why you aren't-"

"You want to know why I don't want to see him?" Rachel yelled and Quinn nodded, "You do? I can't look at him. I can't look at him because when I think about him all I see is all the blood. It's coming from everywhere and I can't stop it and that's all I see. Blood. It haunts me in my dreams. So excuse me if it's kind of hard for me to see him right now."

Quinn was silent for a minute while she avoided Rachel's gaze that was constantly on the blond.

"I didn't know."

"I know."

"Look, you don't have to go this time. But do you really want the next time you two see each other to be in passing down the hallway?"

Rachel didn't say anything before disappearing back into the closet. When she reemerged, she was holding a denim skirt and threw it at Quinn on the bed.

"I get why you're freaking out but you can't keep doing it," Quinn said getting off the bed and walking towards the door, "Stay home and sulk today but you can't avoid him forever, no matter how much you wish you could."

As Quinn walked out the door, Rachel knew she was right. By avoiding him, the nightmares and the horrible thoughts that plagued her were not going to go away. But just like everything else lately that had to do with Puck, she chose to only ignore it until the last possible second. Rachel shook her head at the whole situation and threw herself on her bed. Checking the time, she realized that One Tree Hill is on Soapnet and while teen dramas weren't really her thing she seemed to be attracted to the love triangle between Lucas, Peyton and Brooke. Rachel had decided that Lucas and Peyton belonged together despite all of the drama that they went through. She also thought that Rachel was a horrible character, simply because she was tarnishing such a great name. Grabbing the remote she turned her television on just as the show was starting. Rachel was a bit confused but enjoying the program until she realized that one of the kids, whose name just happened to be Jimmy, had a gun. And then when he raised the gun at the doors Rachel scrambled to turn the channel. She changed the channel not bothering with what channel she was turning on. Of course she turned on Grey's Anatomy and there was suddenly a ridiculous amount of blood pouring out of this man's neck, all over some poor girl. Giving up Rachel turned the television off completely and decided it was time to look through some of the sheet music that Mr. Shuester had asked her to look through for glee. He had finally realized that her opinion was vital. And while he never promised that all her decisions would be final, as captain she was definitely going to be given her voice.

Rachel picked up the folder of music from her nightstand and began flipping through it. Since this time last year when New Directions was just forming and struggling to make it to sectionals, Mr. Shuester's taste in music had considerably improved and there wasn't much in the folder that Rachel would outright reject. But as she was flipping through some of the selections, she came across Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler. Rachel loved this song and she was suddenly brought back to a memory. She and Puck had been in her room, doing homework of all things with Rachel's itunes on shuffle. When this song came on, they abandoned homework and began singing along until it was over and Rachel remembered that it was the first time that they had sung together like that. As her eyes glanced over the notes on the page, she noticed that there was a note written at the bottom. _Suggested by Puck _was written in Mr. Shuester's handwriting. She wondered how long Mr. Shuester had this in the folder. Maybe Quinn was right; no matter how hard Rachel tried, she wasn't going to be able to avoid Puck forever.

~~~~*~~~~

Sunday afternoon, Quinn and Rachel found themselves once again in Rachel's room. Quinn was wearing the skirt that Rachel had let her borrow and they were sitting on her bed listening to a song that Mr. Shuester had assigned for them to learn over the weekend. It ended and Quinn just rolled her eyes.

"I really hope Mr. Shuester doesn't think that every song we sing needs to be about overcoming personal demons or whatever. Because if you keep throwing this situation in our faces we will never get over it."

"While I understand Mr. Shuester's intentions, I don't want to do sad songs. While our selections at regionals last year were good, I feel that we placed as we did because our song choices were not as upbeat and positive as they could have been. So going into regionals this year with this song would be a bad idea."

Quinn nodded in agreement and sighed.

"What is it?" Rachel said.

"What?" Quinn asked innocently.

"You have that look on your face like you want to say something but you aren't sure if you should."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Quinn, you should never play poker. Now tell me."

Quinn hesitated for a moment but as she felt Rachel's eyes burn a hole into her she figured she wasn't going to get out of this, "When we went to see Puck the other day, he asked about you. He was hoping you'd be with us."

"Oh,"

"Rachel why don't you just go over there and at least talk to him. He's dying of boredom over there and I'm pretty sure you talking his ear off about something would be just what he needs right now."

"I don't think I can."

"Rachel Berry! You can't keep pushing him away. If this whole mess has taught us one thing it is that we need to stop pushing people away and being consumed with that what ifs and start living for what we have." Quinn yelled frustrated with her friend's behavior.

"I almost watched him die Quinn."

"Yeah but he didn't. And if it were Finn, I wouldn't want to wait until the next time he almost dies to tell him that I love him."

Rachel turned her head towards the window so Quinn wouldn't see the tears in her eyes. But Quinn knew Rachel just as well as Rachel knew her.

"Look, I feel guilty and now I've gone and made you cry so can I tell you one more thing and you not get mad at me?" Rachel nodded, "So remember how Mr. Shuester decided to give all the solos at sectionals to you are Puck. Well it was because Kurt and I asked him to. You guys obviously weren't, and aren't, over each other and we thought if we could make you work together you'd realize what we all did and fix it. We never expected it to come down to so much fighting and anger and sadness. We never meant for it to be like that. I just wanted to repay you for helping Finn and I get back together and it was an epic failure on our part and I'm sorry. So please don't be mad at me, or Kurt."

Rachel turned so she was looking at Quinn again, "I'm not mad. Actually, I was somewhat suspicious that there was something going on. But thank you for trying."

"Of course. If you ever need me to lock you in auditoriums or give up solos for you or bail you out of jail or something. I'm your girl. But let me make it up to you. Let's go get frozen yogurt, my treat and we can come back here and wallow."

Rachel smiled and nodded and the two girls took off in Quinn's car.

~~~~*~~~~

Rachel and Quinn enjoyed their frozen treat and as Quinn was driving them back, Rachel noticed that Quinn was taking a turn down the wrong road.

"Quinn. Don't even think about it!"

Quinn ignored Rachel and kept driving as Rachel continued to protest, getting louder when they turned onto Puck's street. Quinn pulled her car into the driveway and got out of the car walking around to the passenger's side of the car and opening the door. Rachel sat there staring forward pouting.

"Come on baby, you have to do this."

"You said auditoriums and solos and jail but you never said anything about this. Why are you doing this?"

"Because its time to get you out of this damn funk. And if you are Puck aren't okay then the rest of us get sucked in and we can't have that going into regionals, or we will lose. So do this for the group."

Rachel glared at her before unbuckling her seatbelt and getting out of the car. Quinn grabbed her hand and practically dragged her to the front door and rang the doorbell.

"I can't believe you," Rachel murmured before the door opened and Puck stood there with a look of bewilderment on his face obviously from Rachel's presence at the door.

"Okay, you two are going to stay here and talk and Rachel you can call me when you're ready but I don't plan on having my phone on me for at least an hour. So take you're time." Quinn said before sprinting back to her car.

Rachel turned to argue but she kept quiet in surrender than turned her attention back to the boy who was standing in the doorway, in his sweats and a loose fitting t-shirt. It wasn't the ones he normally wore that would show a detailed outline of all the perfect muscles underneath, but was most likely too big so it wouldn't compromise the bandage Rachel knew was underneath.

"You might as well come in," Puck said moving out of the way so that Rachel could enter. She was stuck here unless she wanted to walk home so she reluctantly crossed the threshold.

Puck motioned for Rachel to take a seat on his couch. It had been quite a while since the last time Rachel had been in the Puckerman house but for the most part, it looked like nothing had changed. Rachel became uneasy when Puck took a seat on the other side of the couch.

"I'm sorry that Quinn did this. She tries to do things that are in my best interest but doesn't seem to bother with the other people involved."

"Yeah, uh, it's cool. I was kind of getting bored since my mom had to take my sister to her friends and then run some errands. You never came back to the hospital."

Rachel should have known that Puck was going to jump right into everything. He shouldn't be worried about this stuff while he is recovering.

"I know. I'm sorry." Rachel said without offering an excuse, "How are you?"

"Been better. Been worse. How are you?"

"I'm okay."

"Jessica and I broke up."

"I'm sorry, Noah. I know you are going through a lot right now and that had to have hurt."

"It was mutual. She said something about not being able to compete."

"Why are you telling me this Noah?"

"Because I thought you might want to know."

"This isn't the time for this conversation Noah."

"When is Rachel?" Puck said standing from the couch. Rachel followed his movement but move until there was a coffee table separating them.

"When you aren't recovering from a gun shot wound."

"I can handle it."

"You might think you can Noah but you had major surgery and stress isn't good for you right now."

"Rachel, its giving me stress not to have this conversation. I can handle it. The question is can you?"

Rachel was quiet for a long time thinking over his words. She still didn't believe that this was the right time for the conversation but since she was stranded here, she might as deal, "I don't even know where to start."

"The truth would be nice."

"What do you mean?"

"The truth as to why you walked away from me that day in the choir room."

"I told you why Noah. I wasn't sure I could trust you."

"You lied."

"I most certainly did not."

"Okay fine, but that wasn't it was it?"

"What are you implying?"

"I didn't cheat on you Rachel."

"I know. But after you still went back to your old ways. You were with all those cheerios and Jessica."

"What did you expect me to do? Become celibate because we weren't together anymore? You didn't want me I wasn't going to wait around to see if you changed your mind."

"No. but it just proved to me that you weren't ready for a relationship." There is was. The thing that Rachel had never said to anyone, especially Puck.

"Neither were you,"

"Pardon me."

"What scared you most the idea of me hurting you again or the fact that I told you I loved you."

"What?"

"Don't pretend to be stupid right now Rachel. It's unbecoming," Puck knew he sounded angry, and he was. But they needed to be honest with each other if this was going to work, "I know you don't have feeling for him anymore but there was time when you were in love with Finn. Or so you thought it was love and you were so willing to follow him like a lost puppy dog. And you went back to him time after time when he hurt you. But you kept coming back and I never understood why you let him hurt you, but you won't even let me maybe hurt you."

"Noah, you're getting upset,"

"Stop avoiding the question Rachel please. What was it that let you love Finn so willingly but you can't or won't love me."

"It wasn't the same with Finn."

"What do you mean?"

She was quiet as she went over in her head the different ways that her relationship with Puck was drastically different, and better, than whatever romantic relationship she had once had with Finn, "When we broke up that day on the bleachers, I told you that our relationship was built on a fantasy. That it was you and I that weren't real when the truth was I was just blocking out the truth that Finn and I weren't real."

"Rachel what are you saying?"

Suddenly Rachel realized that she had said more than she had intended to. She was letting her feelings out in the open instead of guarding them like she had from so many people over the last few months. What he wanted her to say scared her. He wanted to hear that she loved him.

"Rach, just tell me that you love me and then I can admit that I never got over you and we can move on from this whole mess."

All Rachel wanted to do was run. But he was closer to the door and she knew that even in his condition, he would stop her. But Rachel had run from him before. When Puck had told her about Drizzle, she ran from him and she realized that she was doing the same thing now. She was in love with him. But this wasn't how love was supposed to be. When you were in love, you wanted to kiss and touch the person every second of the day and you wanted be around them and smile at them and feel their hand in yours and all these other things that Rachel had seen in the movies. When you kissed the person you love you don't want to run out of the door, you don't want to do anything but continue to kiss them until something forces you to stop after you've done all you can to fight against that force. That wasn't what was going on in her head right now. She loved Puck. She loved him so much it was killing her but she wanted to run. She wanted to run because the feeling was nothing like the movies, and it had taken her this long to realize that her life wasn't going to be a movie or a musical. Her life was her life but if she kept running from it or waiting for those perfect moments, she would be waiting forever. She loved Puck and Puck loved her and that was all that mattered. And she was going to have to deal with the bad because in it was what the road to the good stuff was paved with. She was going to have to put herself and her heart on the line if she ever was going to let anyone love her. Quinn was right. The whole situation that they found themselves in had opened her eyes. So standing in front of him, as he waited for her to say something, she took the five steps it took to close the space between the two of them and stood directly in front of him. Their bodies' only millimeters apart.

"What are you doing Rachel?"

"I'm an idiot. I'm the biggest idiot that ever lived. You told me you loved me and you almost died and I was standing around loving you but I was too afraid of getting hurt to let you close to me. And I realized sitting in that waiting room that I could have missed out on a lot of time with you. And the more important thing was that I realized that if you died, there wasn't going to be a reason for me to be scared anymore and you would have hurt me still. By dying, you would have hurt me. But I think I was just stuck in another one of my fantasies where loving someone should be easy. And maybe parts of it should, but sometimes there is a lot of nasty stuff that comes with love but in order to have loved you have to deal with the nasty. And-"

Rachel was cut off by the connection of Puck's lips to her own. She had more speech to go; including those three words that Puck had wanted to hear but he was kissing her anyway and Rachel could do nothing put melt against him as his arms wrapped around her waist pulling her close to him. She had missed this. She missed him and while he kissed her and she kissed him she couldn't remember a single reason why she was scared. It didn't make sense and she could blame it on her teenage desire but one minute she was absolutely terrified of what this boy could do to her emotionally, and then when he was kissing her, and touching her, and holding her, she felt like she was in the safest place in the world.

When Puck pulled away, he rested his forehead against Rachel's much like he had done that day in the choir room. Only this time he had every intention of never letting her go.

"I didn't get to finish," Rachel whispered.

"I know you were taking too long,"

"But I never go to say it,"

"You said you were waiting around loving me. It was as good as the real thing to me. Thank you for letting me in."

"You're welcome," Rachel said then took a deep breath, "I love you. I'm glad you're alive."

"Me too," Puck said before capturing Rachel's lips with his once more. He could feel his heart beat speeding up and he worried that he'd pop a stitch. But as he deepened the kiss, he didn't care. He could ruin a hundred shirts as long as he had Rachel with him. They had spent eight months avoiding each other and it took a lot to remember what they had but it was better late than never. And never almost came so he appreciated it just that much more. They pulled apart when they heard the front door open and Ms. Puckerman walked in with grocery bags. Puck pulled Rachel close to him relishing in her warmth and the smile coming from his mother's face.

"Oh, Rachel, hello. I didn't know we had company."

"I'm sorry Ms. Puckerman this was indeed an unplanned visit. Let me help you," Rachel said.

"No no. I've got this. Noah you should be resting," Ms. Puckerman said as she made her way into the kitchen.

"Agreed. Do you mind if Rachel and I go up to my room?" Puck said knowing that his mother knew that he was in no shape for any of the activities that she would normally have to worry about with her son.

"That's fine. Rachel you will stay for dinner won't you?"

"Of course Ms. Puckerman."

Puck removed Rachel from his grasp only to hold tightly to her hand as he led her up the stairs and into his bedroom.

"What do you want to do?" Puck asked winking at Rachel.

"You can't do any of that. And we've already overworked you for today. So lay down."

"Lay with me, please."

Rachel nodded as Puck settled on top of his bed on his back, scooting over so that Rachel could join him. When she did, she enjoyed the warmth of his body. For the first time since the shooting she was able to be near him without thinking of blood and death. She thought of life.

"You know I'm going to need you to turn into Nurse Berry for me. I'm going to need a lot of TLC, and maybe even some sponge baths."

"Don't push it Noah."

"Come on Rach, you love me. Even when I push it."

Rachel laughed and cuddled closer to Puck. She had a wonderful dinner with Ms. Puckerman and Lily and then she finally called Quinn to come and get her.

"I was about to send out the search party," Quinn said as Rachel climbed into her car. Quinn immediately noticed that Rachel's whole aura had changed since she had dropped her off, "You do know you owe me details right?"

"I do. Just drive."

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AN: Yay finally! But the story is not over. There are still a lot of things that Puck and Rachel need to remember about themselves and the other people in their lives. So please read and review and I will do my best not to make this wait too long. But I feel like it might be Monday or Tuesday before I can get another chapter up. But I promise I will get it up as soon as I can!

Also, since officially Tuesday March 23...we have exactly 3 weeks till the return of Glee!


	8. Chapter 8

AN: I'm sure you all hate me for keeping you waiting but between real life and my muse completely abandoning me until yesterday, I wasn't even sure this was going to get out this week. I want to dedicate this chapter to **BittyAB18** because without you pointing out somewhere I had gone wrong, this chapter would probably still be a blank page. I hope that I am able rectify the situation. And thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorite, alerted, etc. You are the reason that even if I'm not struck down with a horrible case of writer's block that I continue to write this insane Puckleberry drama…..and this AN now sounds like an acceptance speech at the Oscars…so without further adieu…..Oh…R&R

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Puck was roaming the hallways of McKinley during what should have been his lunch hour. He had not been cleared to come back to school yet but his mom had dropped him off to get some of his books that he needed to complete the homework that Rachel was bringing him home. He had made a joke once how gunshot victims should not have to catch up on academics but he immediately regretted it seeing the sadness envelop Rachel's face. Before he had been able to acknowledge it, she had literally shaken it away and began explaining to him that falling behind academically would not be a wise choice. Puck had made a point to watch his jokes after that.

He hadn't had much time since his mom was parked outside waiting for him, but when he heard the sound of the piano in the choir room, he knew he needed to stop. He stood outside the room and looked through the glass window to watch her. The door was opened a bit and he could hear the melodic sound of the piano. He watched her as she was completely focused on the way her hands should glide across the ivory keys. If there was something he hated the most about the fact that he couldn't actually go to school was that it meant he couldn't hear Rachel sing. Its not that he didn't hear her sing per se it just wasn't the same. Rachel would sing to herself, but it was nothing like the true Rachel performances of glee practice or in the auditorium where he had somehow still been able to hide and watch her in secret. As that thought went through his mind, Puck thought he sounded like Rachel Berry's personal stalker. But when Rachel started singing Puck forgot his own thoughts and focused completely on Rachel. Her face was down, looking at only the piano, the way her hair fell blocked Puck's view of her eyes.

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me_

Puck had always prided himself on being able to judge Rachel's mood by the songs she was singing. And right now, though he didn't know the song, he could tell from the way Rachel sang that it was a sad one. What troubled him the most was that he didn't know why Rachel seemed sad. When he had called her that morning she was chipper as always. Since they had gotten back together, they were around each other almost all the time when she wasn't in school. Puck watched as she sang on and in one moment, she lifted her face up, and Puck could see the tears running down her face. She saw him and immediately the music stopped and Puck rushed into the room maneuvering his way around until he was able to sit next to her on the piano bench.

Rachel forced herself to stop crying the moment she saw Puck peaking in the choir room door and she looked on shocked as he raced towards her. No one was supposed to be there, no one was supposed to see and when she felt Puck's arms wrap around her she couldn't help but hold on tightly and break down again. Rachel was happy that Puck just held her while smoothing her hair and he hadn't yet asked her what was wrong. Because that would be opening a whole new can of worms. A bunch of worms that would most likely lead to them fighting or at least arguing and Rachel wasn't sure she was up for that right now and there was only fifteen minutes left in the lunch hour.

Rachel was finally able to calm herself down and she sat up straight to begin wiping away the tears and the running mascara from her face. She then looked at Puck and saw the concern all over his face.

"What happened?" Puck said reaching over and tucking a piece of Rachel's hair behind her ear.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at home resting."

"I had to pick up some things from my locker. And you're avoiding my question."

"Just got a little emotional with the song that's all." Rachel said avoiding making eye contact with Puck.

"Why are you singing a sad song?"

"I heard it on the way in."

"But you only sing sad songs when you're sad."

"You don't know that."

"You told me yourself. Rachel what is going on? Did someone do or say something?"

"Noah I appreciate your concern but I assure you I'm fine," Rachel said determined to not have to tell her boyfriend that she was still having nightmares about that horrible day in the auditorium. She didn't want to tell him that every night she dreamt of him dying in her arms. She hadn't told anyone except for Quinn.

Puck knew better than to argue with Rachel. So he gently placed a kiss on her forehead. "How's your day been so far?" Puck asked instead of pushing Rachel.

"Uneventful. Well at least until you showed up." Rachel said smiling.

"Oh really?"

"Yes really," Rachel said as the bell rang signally the end of lunch, "Wait. How did you get here you know you can't be driving yet?"

"My mom is waiting out front. Which means I should probably get going before she bites my head off." Puck said.

"You'll tell her I said hello won't you?"

"Of course babe," Puck said kissing Rachel quickly then getting up off the piano bench and heading for the door. This was the only reason he wanted to return to school so he didn't have to leave his previously crying girlfriend in the choir room to deal with the rest of the day alone. Not that he didn't trust that the rest of the club would be around her pretty much the whole time, but Puck just preferred that he be around. They had lost a lot of time and he was determined to do whatever it took, including going to school, to make it up to her. Before he walked out the door Puck turned to look back and Rachel who was packing up the music she had taken out, "There's no glee today. Will you come over after school?" When Rachel nods Puck smiles, "Oh and Rachel?"

"Yes Noah."

"I love you."

"I love you too Noah. I'll see you after school."

~~~~*~~~~

The second Puck told his mom that it had taken so long because he had run into Rachel her attitude towards Puck changed drastically. Seriously, he could have told her that he was robbing a bank with Rachel and it would have been okay, as long as he was with Rachel. But as much as Rachel said things were alright, Puck continued to have this nagging feeling that she wasn't being completely honest with him. And he was pretty sure he was going to be hurt if there was something going on that she felt that she couldn't tell him about. When he got home, Puck sent a text to Quinn asking her to call him as soon as she could. Puck's phone rang no more than five minutes later.

"You're lucky there is a sub in history today or you know Mr. Rappaport would never let me out of there." Quinn said before Puck could even say anything.

"Hello to you too Quinn."

"Hello Puck. What is so urgent? Is everything alright?"

"Well that's what I needed to talk to you about."

"Okay," Quinn said.

"Is there something going on with Rachel?"

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean was that I came into school to pick some things up today and I found her in in the choir room singing and crying. She practically broke down on me and then told me it was all over the song. It was a sad song Quinn. Happy Rachel doesn't sing sad songs. Do you know what's going on? What isn't she telling me?"

Quinn was silent on the other line. She had made a promise to Rachel that she wouldn't tell Puck. But she was happy that Puck had finally picked up that something was wrong because Rachel needed him to know what was going on and since she couldn't tell him Quinn was happy that maybe he would push the subject on his own.

"You're too quiet Fabray."

"Look, just talk to Rachel."

"I tried. She just told me everything is alright. And from your silence I can tell that that isn't true."

"You're going to have to push her Puck. We both know how she is. She's already asked me to drop her off at your house after school so when she comes over just ask her again and if she continues to say nothing then push her until she does."

"Are you trying to have me killed Fabray? Purposely making Rachel mad will not make things good."

"She'll get angry and then she'll break."

"Quinn this sounds like a horrible idea. Actually, it is a horrible idea. How can you call yourself her friend if you want me to drive her to tears?"

"Because I know how damn stubborn she is."

"Is it really bad Quinn?"

"It could be. Just talk to her. I have to go before they send someone looking for me. Good luck."

Puck sighed as he put the phone down. It was obvious Rachel had been lying to him in the choir room and Quinn knew why. This whole thing was beginning to make him a little nervous. They had just found each other again. Was the universe really going to throw something else at them that would pull them apart?

~~~~*~~~~

When Quinn dropped Rachel off at Puck's after school, Rachel was happy to be away from that building. She once loved school, because education was important for a young star like herself and she prided herself on her GPA. But that school didn't hold the same je ne sais quoi that it used to. While she knew what it really due to the tragedy that had occurred inside that school, Rachel had done a pretty good job of convincing herself that the real reason she felt so uneasy at school was because of the absence of her boyfriend. Rachel was presented on numerous occasions, daily, with inquiries about Puck and his health.

Rachel waved goodbye to Quinn and entered the Puckerman household. She had barely a moment to put down her bag before Puck grabbed her around the waist, pulling her to him. In response, Rachel put her arms on Puck's biceps before running her hands up to his shoulders and clasping her fingers around his neck.

"I've missed you," he whispered before leaning in and planting a soft kiss on her lips.

"It's only been three hours Noah,"

"I know. And in that time the entire student body got you all to their selves. While I was here all alone."

"You're jealous of the entire student body? I thought the great Puck didn't do jealousy."

"Once and I while it slips through," Puck said kissing Rachel once more, "Sit down I want to talk to you."

Puck grabbed onto Rachel's hand and led her over to the couch. Rachel sat down at the end of the couch and Puck sat down next to her. The last time they had had a conversation in this room it involved a lot of screaming and a lot of crying and a lot of stuff that Rachel wasn't feeling exactly up for at the moment. She was tired and all she wanted to do was convince Puck that a nap was in order for both of them, though she knew it would screw up her sleeping pattern for the night. When Puck grabbed onto her hand, Rachel knew something was going on. Nothing seemed wrong with him when she saw him during lunch.

"Noah, what's going on? You're worrying me."

"That's exactly what I was going to say to you."

"What?"

"Rachel, something was upsetting you today when I saw you. And it had nothing to do with the song."

"Is that why you invited me over? So you could interrogate me about why I cried during a sad song. Because really Noah, I'm too tired to deal with this."

"Tired from what? Normally at this hour you're still bursting at the seems with energy."

"I have a lot going on Noah. And-" Rachel started then fell silent.

"And what?"

"And what Rachel?"

All the pushing Puck was doing was driving her insane, "And…I haven't been sleeping properly lately."

"Why?" Puck said and Rachel noticed that he sounded just the way he did when they had broken up so long ago on the bleachers.

Rachel stayed quiet for a long time. She had made a promise to herself that now that she had gotten Puck back in her life that she was going to be more open to him. That she wasn't going to run away from her fears and her feelings and let him in. But she hadn't been keeping this from him because she didn't want to let him in. But while she argued with herself about what was the right thing to say in this situation she realized that she might as well go ahead and let it out, because it was honestly killing her to keep this from him.

"Alright fine. I was not going to say anything because you have more important things to worry about like your recovery. But well," Rachel paused for a moment, "Well I've been having these dreams."

"What kind of dreams?"

"Well they are actually nightmares really."

"About what?"

Rachel hesitated. Puck was just going to continue to question her until he got all the answers and Rachel felt like locking all the answers inside. But she had gone this far and she knew he wasn't going to let it go and though she hated lying to him, there wasn't even a lie she could come up with to get her out of this situation, "There are two really. The most frequent one however involves me watching you bleed to death in the auditorium." Rachel said as the tears started down her face.

Puck cupped Rachel's face with his right hand and used the pad of his thumb to wipe away as the tears almost as soon as they touched her cheeks "Rachel, why haven't you said anything before?"

"Like I said Noah, this wasn't something I wanted to burden you with. You have a lot going on and the stress isn't good for you."

"Watching you upset stresses me out. What's the other one about?"

"What?"

"You said you were having two dreams, what is the other one?"

"Your funeral. Complete with songs from RENT."

Puck let out a little laugh. These dreams weren't funny but the fact that Rachel was dreaming in musicals amused him just a bit, "I swear if you ever do that to me I will haunt you from the afterlife."

"I look forward too it." Rachel said giving Puck a slight smile.

"I have them sometimes too, nightmares. My mom says I should talk to someone."

"My dads and Quinn said the same thing about me."

"We could go together. Ms. Pillsbury keeps calling my mom."

"Mr. Shue tried to get her to talk to all of us but no one was willing to."

"Maybe she'd be willing to try again. If one or two of us agree I'm sure the rest will come too."

"I'll talk to Mr. Shuester and Ms. Pillsbury tomorrow."

"Okay," Puck said leaning back and pulling Rachel into his arms. Rachel rested her head against Puck's shoulder, the one that didn't have the bandage covering the bullet wound.

"I still wish you would have told me about the nightmares," Puck said resting his chin on top of Rachel's head.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"It's okay baby. Just don't keep things from me no matter what I'm going through."

"Okay," Rachel said closing her eyes and focusing on the beating of Puck's heart. She got her nap.

When Puck returned to school a week later Mr. Shuester took time out of their rehearsal schedule to allow Ms. Pillsbury to return to the group and when Rachel announced to the room that she had been having nightmares, everyone else began to speak up about how they were affected by that day. It was going to take a long time for the wounds, both physical and emotional to heal, but as Rachel and Puck listened to their friends begin to open up about the tragedy they had experienced together, the teens knew that everything was going to be all right, as long as they had each other.

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AN: Rachel's sad song was 'My Immortal' by Evanescence…..I hope the next chapter doesn't take as long as this one….R&R!!!


	9. Chapter 9

AN: I'M SORRY! I never thought this chapter would have taken such a long time to create. There are no real excuses! But I'm back and I don't think I'm going to have an issue writing the rest of this story. (except for maybe a time issue!) But I finally broke out of the fog and I have a new chapter and I'm kind of yay about continuing this story. This whole series is my baby and I love it so much! I also love everyone who has reviewed, alerted, favorited etc! You are the only reason that I continue!

While I have your attention I'm going to whore some stuff out. The first is my twitter. Follow me! thatgleekychick

The second thing you should check out in the link on my profile page. It is for the Puckleberry Lounge! It's a forum aimed directly at fans of Puckleberry! It's still growing but sign up and talk Puckleberry and other glee related topics with other Puckleberries!

Alright I'm going to stop shilling now but I only have one more request. R&R please! Reviews are like applause to me, and like Rachel and Tinkerbell, I need them to live!

ENJOY!

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Physically all the wounds had healed. However, for Rachel and Puck, the mental aftermath of everything that had happened that day in the auditorium still plagued them, though things had gotten significantly better. Each Tuesday, after school, they both met with Emma and each week both teens seemed to get back as much as they could of their normal. This particular Tuesday Rachel and Puck sat in front of Emma in her office after most of the student body had vacated the property and were discussing regionals. It was the last week of January and the competition was just a few weeks away. Emma stopped Rachel as she was discussing her choices for solos with a question that seemed completely off topic.

"Pretty soon you'll be having daily practices in the auditorium yes?" Emma asked.

Rachel looked at Emma bewildered and then wide-eyed, "Uh, yes. I suppose that would be true."

Neither teen had set foot in the auditorium since that day. None of the members of New Directions had. But they needed to if they were going to properly work out the choreography of their regionals numbers. Mr. Shue had kept them in the choir room since the incident, since Puck was nearly killed inside the auditorium but he had been dying to get the kids into a bigger space. So as much as he hated to pry, and he didn't want push his students into doing something they weren't ready for, but he had asked Emma to talk to the both Puck and Rachel to see if maybe, they would be able to enter the auditorium again.

"Well then. Now, with everything that has, um, happened inside the auditorium, what does that space mean to you?"

Rachel looked at Puck and she could tell from the look in his eyes that he was suddenly back in that auditorium, alone with Jimmy Crawford. She reached over and took Puck's hand in hers, which seemed to pull him out of his own head and back with her.

"The auditorium was a second home to me, "Rachel offered, "My lunch hour was spent there most days. If I had a problem or was stressed, I would go to the auditorium and sing. Because singing was, and still is my main way of releasing negative energy," Rachel said.

"And how do you feel about it now Rachel?"

"Sometimes I can think about the auditorium without thinking about all the bad things that happened. I try to think about our first glee club rehearsal in there. Or the times we did amazing numbers on that stage. All the positive things. But sometimes, well most of the time, I remember Noah lying there, and all the blood." Rachel squeezed Puck's hand that she still had a grasp on and looked over at him. He wasn't looking at her, or Ms. Pillsbury. He was focusing on a spot on the wall.

"Noah? What about you?" Ms. Pillsbury asked, "How did you feel about the auditorium?"

Puck didn't look at either woman and was quiet for a long time, in his head, he was thinking of the auditorium, but it wasn't the same this time. This time when he remembered the auditorium, he thought about the many times that he sat, hidden, and just listened to Rachel sing. He thought about how that space had become his sanctuary.

"It was just the place we performed for glee," Puck lied. He knew he should be doing the whole feelings thing right now, but Rachel didn't know that Puck used to practically stalk her there and he wasn't about to share that in front of Ms. Pillsbury.

"That's all Noah?" Ms. Pillsbury asked, "Aside from the tragedy, you don't associate the auditorium with anything aside from glee club?"

"No. Yes," Puck took a deep breath to relieve his sudden frustration, "No. But it's really not something I feel like sharing right now."

"Noah the whole point of speaking with Ms. Pillsbury is to share the things we don't want to. She won't judge us or tell anyone Noah. So whatever you're afraid of, you don't need to be." Rachel said turning her body towards her boyfriend. She knew he hated these sessions because he was too much of a badass to deal with what was really going on inside. But she had hoped that with her accompanying him, that he would more readily express what he was really feeling, badass or not.

Puck let out a frustrated sigh and looked at Rachel.

"All right fine. Sometimes… and I mean this in the least stalkerish way possible…I used to sit in the auditorium, in one of the side exits or whatever, during lunch and I'd listen to you sing."

Rachel's jaw fell in shock. She had always thought that during the times she was in there she was alone.

"Since when?" she asked.

"The first time was an accident. But it was right after I found out about Quinn and the baby. But then I just found myself there almost every day, even when we weren't together."

"Really?" Rachel said smiling.

"Yeah."

"Well isn't this an interesting discovery," Ms Pillsbury added.

The drive home from the school was quiet, as were most of the rides back from there sessions. But this time there was this weird uneasiness about it. Or at least Puck felt the tension. He was pretty sure that despite the fact that Rachel had her normally cheery face on, inside she couldn't wait to get away from him. Once they were inside Rachel's living room, Puck stopped just inside the door. He could no longer handle the tension between the two.

"Will you say something please?"

"About what?" Rachel stopped across the room after throwing her bag on the ground by the couch.

"I don't know. What happened in Ms. Pillsbury's office?"

"I don't know what you want me to say Noah. There isn't really anything to say."

"How about how you're feeling now that you found out I'm a grade A creep."

"Noah! You're not a creep. And while I find that you used to sit and listen to me sing daily without my knowledge a tad shocking, I am not upset."

"No? Why not?

"I can't fault you for listening to me sing."

"Right. I just-"

"Noah. Please stop worrying yourself over this. I like that you were a grade A creep."

"Rachel-"

"Noah," Rachel started as she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Puck's waist, "Stop. Please. And kiss me."

Puck smirked as he wrapped his arms around the petite brunette in front of him, then leaned down and allowed his lips to meet hers. It was sweet and soft at first, but it deepened when Puck tugged roughly at Rachel's hips pulling her against him. As their tongues battled with each other, Puck tightened his grasp on Rachel and lifted her up. Her legs immediately wrapped around his waist before Puck moved them onto the couch. They'd done this before, a lot actually. The two teens would be so caught up with the passion until one, the other, both, or someone on the outside broke them up.

When Rachel stopped them, it was because she was afraid. It wasn't that she didn't want to make love to Puck. He had more than proved to her that he loved her and only her and this wasn't about sex. Too much had happened for it to be about that. And a number of times she stopped them because Puck was still recovering from a gun shot wound, and every time she brought that up, Puck couldn't argue.

When Puck stopped them, it was because he was afraid. He was afraid of hurting her again. He was afraid that the whole Quinn situation would repeat itself. The one time he voiced his fears to Rachel, she reminded him that no matter what happened, it would not be a repeat of the Quinn situation, because they loved each other. But aside from that, Puck worried that Rachel would sleep with him just to make him happy, not because she was ready. So he always stopped before he was completely lost in the moment.

They had been interrupted countless times by her dads, his mom, Quinn and the rest of the glee club announcing emergency meetings because Brittany and Santana or Kurt and Hank were having massive drama and it was only mandatory that both of them show up to have like a pow wow. (Puck thought this was the stupidest thing he'd heard…like ever).

This time it was another glee club crisis. Rachel and Puck had both ignored as her phone blared "Defying Gravity" the first two times. The third time it went off Rachel pulled away and let out a frustrated growl that Puck found incredibly hot. Rachel regrettably pushed Puck away from her so should could reach into her purse that she'd thrown on the floor to grab and then answer her phone. It was Tina.

Puck watched as Rachel listened intently to Tina on the phone. He laughed as she rolled her eyes but Rachel replied by swatting at his chest. The moment Rachel hung up the phone Puck immediately went back to work kissing Rachel's neck hungrily.

"Noah. You have to go." Rachel said placing her hands on his shoulders pushing him away gently.

"Come on baby. Just tell them you have something to do."

"You want me to lie to my friends so that I can make out with you?"

"I was hoping we'd be able to do a little more than make out."

"Noah!"

"Come on babe. We've been dancing around this forever. Can't the rest of the club have some kind of crisis that doesn't involve one of us?"

"Noah they're my friends."

"And I'm your boyfriend." Puck said moving to stand in front of the couch and Rachel stood a moment later and headed towards the kitchen. Puck followed.

"Are you really going to play that card Noah?" Rachel said as she reached into the cabinet and pulled a bowl before turning back to Puck.

"Do I have to play that card?"

"Look. Even if I decided that I was going to stay here with you the mood is gone," Rachel said firmly, "Can you go? The girls will be here in twenty minutes and I have to prepare a wallows feast."

Angry, Puck stormed out of the kitchen, grabbed his jacket from the banister, and stormed out of Rachel's house slamming the door behind him. Rachel knew that Puck was angry. She was somewhat disappointed to when the phone rang. But Tina and Artie had another break up. She was sure that it would only last a day or two because some how they had become the most dramatic couple of the group (yes beating out Finn and Quinn or Hank and Kurt was difficult). But it was tradition now that each time this happened one of the girls would host the girls evening and this time it was Rachel's turn. It wasn't that she wanted to stop what she was doing with Puck to help Tina. But she did and she had to make the decision of what was more important, her friend in need or losing her virginity on her father's couch.

The night was spent with Tina crying over Artie's insensitivity towards her needs and how doesn't know how much longer she can deal with him. The cute guy at the library had asked her out and she almost said yes but she didn't because she was "so fucking in love with Artie Abrams!"

The whole group was completely surprised that by glee rehearsal on Thursday, Artie and Tina had yet to make up. And neither had Rachel and Puck. It's not that they had broken up like Artie and Tina, and they still were around each other. But there was no physical contact and it was beginning to drive the both of them nuts. But after listening to Tina and then Quinn and Santana and Brittany talk about their sex lives, Rachel was getting absolutely frustrated with Puck. It wasn't that he was forcing sex upon her, but after their conversation on Tuesday, it was clear that he was beginning to expect it; and that made Rachel kind of angry.

The assignment for the week was to come up with a song options for regionals. It was open to anything because Mr. Shue just wanted ideas of what the kids wanted. They were all good ideas and there was usually a chorus of 'oh okay's and 'yes's after each option. It wasn't until Mercedes suggested "Airplanes" by B.o.B that there was a problem.

"We can't," Rachel said rebelling against the rest of the group.

All eyes turned to Rachel but Mercedes was the first to speak up, "Excuse me?"

"Mercedes no doubt that is a fantastic song. However, I don't feel that we would be able to turn it into a number that would qualify us at regionals."

"Why? Because it's a rap song?"

"Mercedes that is absolutely not what I am saying."

"Then what are you saying? And why is this the first song you've had a problem with?"

"Because the song won't win us regionals. We have to be better than last year Mercedes, and that song isn't going to get us there."

"Rachel-" Quinn started.

"I'm sorry but I'm trying to do what's best for the team, and I don't think that that song is what is best for the team."

"Rachel these are just suggestions," Mr. Shue said interrupting.

"Yes, but what if you think it's a good idea and we spent the next three weeks working on a song that will likely cost us regionals. What happened to finding songs that are familiar to the judges?"

"Fine. Forget I even suggested it Mr. Shue," Mercedes said in a low retreating voice.

"Rachel. What is wrong with you? We're all friends here and you're attacking Mercedes?" Rachel was shocked when this came from Quinn.

"I'm not attacking her. I'm simply vocalizing my opinion on the song. It's what we've been doing however this is the only one that anything been said negatively about. Look Mercedes I'm sorry if I've offended you but it's not a personal critique, just one on the song." Rachel said looking to see everyone's eyes on her (including Puck's) and none of them looking happy with her at all. It had been a long time since she'd seen the club look at her like that.

"All right. Moving on," Mr. Shuester said in order avoid anything further dissonance in his group.

The car ride home was quiet. No one said anything. It was incredibly uncomfortable since Rachel wasn't sure why everyone was still angry with her. Puck had driven both Rachel and Quinn to school that day and just as he had pulled into Quinn's driveway, Quinn finally spoke up.

"You could have been a little nicer to Mercedes today Rachel."

"I'm sorry. But since we were giving our opinions of the songs, I felt it unproductive to lie about my thoughts. I've never been one to keep my opinions in before so I don't know why you're all so shocked."

"You singled her out Rachel."

"Why is everyone making this about Mercedes? It wasn't about her. It was about the song and the group. "

"But she took it personally. She's our friend Rachel."

"I know that Quinn. We're all friends. Which is why I don't appreciate you attacking me over this."

"Whatever," Quinn said opening the car door and exiting pulling her bag behind her.

Rachel just huffed as Puck reversed out of the driveway and headed towards her house.

"I suppose you agree with them too." Rachel said staring out the front of the truck, not looking at Puck.

Puck didn't take his eyes off the road, "I just don't understand why you got so upset."

"I was trying to make a suggestion that would help the group."

"But you hurt Mercedes in the process."

"I don't know why she took it so personally."

"What has been wrong with you lately?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"You've been, not like you. More like the old Rachel."

"What do you mean Noah? I assure you I am still the same as I've always been."

"Look, don't take this the wrong way. But are you on your period or something?"

"Noah! My menstrual cycle has nothing to do with the way I am behaving. So what do you mean by the old Rachel?"

"I don't know. The one that used to drive me nuts in a bad way instead of the good way you drive me nuts now."

"So the Rachel who had no friends and whom everyone thought was crazy."

"I just haven't seen you this…I don't know passionate about glee club in a long time."

"I've always been dedicated to glee Noah. You know that."

"Yes, but you haven't been so vocal about it in a while."

"I'm not going to apologize for doing what I think is best."

"Of course you're not," Puck mumbled then mentally cursed himself when he heard Rachel gasp in shock of hearing it.

"What was that?" Rachel yelled.

Puck let out a frustrated growl, "Look you've just been really angry at me and a lot of people lately. We've barely had a conversation since Tuesday."

"Well excuse me for getting angry that all my boyfriend seems to think about is sex."

"That isn't true Rachel and you know it!"

"Do I? Because every moment we're alone all you seem to want to do is sleep with me."

"Are we really having this argument Rachel? I'm not going to apologize for wanting to be with you, for finding you attractive."

"Well I'm not going to apologize for not giving into your expectation of us having sex."

"I'm not expecting you to sleep with me Rachel."

"You've got a hell of a way of showing me that Noah."

"Jesus Rach! What is your problem?"

Puck had pulled into Rachel's driveway then, thankful that his rage and confusion hadn't driven them both off the road. He put the car in park full expecting to fight this out with Rachel until they came to whatever understanding that needed to be found. But before he even had time to turn to her Rachel was out of the car and the door was shut in front of him. He rolled the window down and shouted after her.

"Rachel! Can we talk about this?"

"No. I'll drive myself to school in the morning." Rachel shouted back before opening her front door and slamming it shut.

Puck fell forward until his head rested on the steering wheel. Rachel was acting incredibly odd and irrational (not like he would ever use those words in front of her) and he had no idea how to fix it because he had no idea what was wrong.

Inside the safety of her house, Rachel was in tears. She wasn't sure what was going on but she felt like public enemy number one. She knew somewhere inside that she may have overreacted just a bit but what was more upsetting was that everyone, including her own boyfriend, seemed to disagree with her. Which lead to a huge fight that Rachel didn't want. Rachel felt alone and she was pretty sure no one wanted to talk to her right now. So she dragged her bag upstairs prepared to do some singing.

By the time lunch rolled around on Friday, Rachel wished two things. First that she could force herself to go back into the auditorium because she was pretty sure everyone, including her boyfriend were avoiding her today. The second thing that Rachel wished for was that everyone including her boyfriend was avoiding her. But she stood by her statements. All of them, including the disagreement she'd had with Puck. She couldn't be with him if he was going to expect something like sex from her. Just because they could didn't mean they had to. She hoped that Mercedes and Quinn would calm down soon because she really hated eating lunch alone.

But as Rachel walked back to her locker to grab her History textbook, she heard her name being shouted down the hallway. Her head shot in the direction to see that it was Mercedes who was waving her over frantically to the choir room. Smiling Rachel was thankful that her friends had finally forgiven her for her suggestions and headed towards Mercedes. But as Rachel got closer to Mercedes, she realized that her teammate wasn't smiling and there were tear marks on her face and fresh tears threatening to escape her eyes. Standing at the threshold of the choir room Rachel saw all of the other glee girls inside huddled together.

"Mercedes?" Rachel asked confused, "What's going on?"

"It's Tina."

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Cliffhanger! R&R please!


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Thank you for all you amazing people who are still reviewing this story and thank you everyone who has alerted, favorited, etc this story. Sorry for the wait! So I have an idea...this story is so close to 100 reviews so I'm going to offer a bonus for reviewing. Reviewer 100 and (if we get that high) 105 will both be allowed to request a one shot from me and hey for the hell of it (if we get that high) 110 will too! So R&R and I'll love you forever and you will also get the chance to help me write more stories! So in this chapter we will find out what happens with Tina, sorry about the cliffhanger. Oh, so I don't know if the way I set up the Tina situation is actually realistic but please go with it because that's how it came out.

Ok, enough from me: ENJOY!

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The only thing that Rachel knew about rape, she learned from movies and television. Her fathers had provided her with a rape whistle and she knew that if she ever felt threatened she was to use it. However, nothing she learned from television or her father's hypothetical and fantasy situations prepared her for what was in front of her in the choir room. From the choir room door Rachel watched as Brittany moved to the side to see Tina swallowed up by Santana's arms. From the look of it, Tina's top had been ripped and she was now covered in Santana's Cheerios jacket. Santana's face had been stained with similar tear tracks as Mercedes' and as Rachel scanned the room she found that all the girls had the same wet trails.

"Wh-What happened?" Rachel said turning back to Mercedes.

"We're not exactly sure. We uh," Mercedes stopped for a moment to compose herself, "We found her lying on the floor in here. But Marcus Alderson had stormed out right before we got here."

"Oh god," Rachel managed to let escape her brain trying to understand what had happened to her friend, "We need to call the police and get a teacher, Mr. Shue, Principle Figgins."

"Kristine went to get him now. I'm sure they'll call the police from there."

"Do you…Do you really think Marcus did THAT to her?"

Mercedes bit her bottom lip as she let the tears just slide down her face, "She hasn't spoken a word. But Rachel there was blood on her face and on her-her legs." Mercedes just trailed off.

Rachel wanted to move. She wanted to not be standing at this threshold hearing that Tina, her friend, had been violated in school of all places in the middle of the day. She wanted to go to Tina but with all the rest of the glee girls locked tightly around her, she would just feel like she was doing nothing.

When Mr. Shuester and Principle Figgins arrived, the Lima Police Department was notified and Tina was taken to the hospital. The girls were given permission to leave from Principle Figgins and they all piled into Quinn's car, full of tears, as they drove the roads that lead to Lima General.

Inside they sat in the waiting room while the doctors were doing whatever they were doing with Tina. No one could tell them anything because no one was family so they just waited for whatever they could get. Rachel tried not to fidget from nervousness but this waiting room itself brought back so many horrific memories. It was not long ago that she sat in these same chairs waiting to hear if Puck would be alright after being shot. She tried to remember a time that she had been in the waiting room that was a good time, like when she tried to remember all the good time in the auditorium before the bad one, but she failed. But really how many times could one sit in a waiting room because of something good?

When Tina's parents arrived, they don't acknowledge any of the teens. They simply go to the front desk and then are escorted out of the waiting area. So they wait longer. They sit there and a few times Rachel notices one of them sending a text but they don't talk to each other. There isn't anything to say. Rachel watched as a text Mercedes gets causes her to break down in sobs in the chair next to her. Rachel immediately put her arms around the girl and pulled her close trying to comfort her. She wondered then how you told someone else about this, especially through something like a text message. Was it even possible to send such pain through written text? Did it lose its shock value that way? But when Mercedes grasped onto her hand like a lifeline Rachel realized that it didn't matter. Things like that were trivial when her friends, especially Tina, were in pain.

When Tina's mom came back out into the waiting room some time later she approached the girls.

"Girls. You should all go home," she said.

"But Tina," Quinn said, "Is she going to be alright? Was she…" Quinn led her voice fall as she found herself unable to say the words aloud.

"She's going to be fine. But you girls should go home. I'm sure you're parents are going to want you there. There's nothing more you can do for her here. I'll be sure that she contacts you when she's ready."

The girls all stood up and nodded.

"You'll tell Tina we give her our best won't you?" Mercedes asked.

Mrs. Cohen-Chang nodded and the girls slowly made their way to the exit and back to Quinn's car.

After Quinn dropped the girls back off at school to get their cars, Quinn asked if Mercedes and Quinn would follow her back to her house. Despite everything that happened the previous day, Rachel was very happy when both girls agreed. Rachel really needed to talk to them. She needed to explain herself and her actions. Playing the good hostess, she asked both girls if they would like refreshments. When they both declined, she asked them both to sit on her couch and she plants herself in front of her coffee table her hands clasped together in front of her.

"Quinn, Mercedes, I want to first and foremost apologize for my actions yesterday. I was being insensitive and I realize now that your feelings should have been more important than regionals. What I said was completely out of line and while I admit that there is no excuse for my behavior, my intentions were purely in the best interest of not the club but for us as friends. Everything has been one tragedy after another for us for the last year. And I thought that if we could win at regionals then we can have some good in our lives and you both know when I want something so badly I can become sidetracked and obsessed to the point of insanity. But then everything with Tina…happened. I wish for nothing more than for you both to accept my apology. We need each other now more than ever."

Rachel had a lot more than she was prepared to say to both Mercedes and Quinn. The whole time they were sitting in the waiting room at the hospital, Rachel tried to come up with the perfect speech. Because this whole situation with Tina had made her realize that despite her intentions of bringing good to the group, she had truly failed. And she really needed her friends right now. But when Quinn and Mercedes both stood up from the couch and walked to her wrapping their arms around her with murmurs of accepting the apology Rachel was hopeful that something was finally going to get better.

"We need to tell the boys," Quinn said leaning her head against Rachel's shoulder.

"I've been texting Kurt all day. I'm sure they all know by now." Mercedes said.

"Oh my! Artie!" Quinn said as fresh tears fell down her face.

"We should go see him," Rachel said and the other girls nodded in response.

"I can't today," Mercedes said looking up from her phone, "My mom found out about Tina and she wants me home immediately. Tomorrow morning?"

"Yes. We can meet here. We can drive together," Rachel said.

Mercedes gave her friends another tight hug before she left leaving Rachel and Quinn alone.

"I am really sorry about being so rude to you yesterday. It was uncalled for. You were just being the good friend I should have been," Rachel said.

"Don't worry, I get it. There are more important things to worry about now."

"Thank you," Rachel said moving to sit on her couch, Quinn following close behind.

"So, have you fixed things with Puck yet?"

"No," Rachel said and Quinn shot her a look, "Don't give me that look Quinn. I haven't exactly had time."

"Call him."

"No."

"What? Why not?"

"Because honestly right now I don't know how much more I can handle emotionally today. Whatever conversation Noah and I will have is going to take a lot out of me. It's just a stupid fight and we'll be fine when we talk but tonight, tonight I just don't want to deal with it."

"Do you want me to stay the night? I'll even let us watch a bunch of musicals."

"What about Finn? Did you say that you had a date tonight?"

"I'll call and tell him that my best friend needs me and that's more important. I'm sure he can hang out and play those stupid video games with Puck."

"Quinn, you don't have to do that."

"I want to."

Saturday morning, Rachel and Quinn got up early to put together a basket of goodies for Artie. Truthfully, both girls realized that cookies and other trinkets weren't going to make things better for Artie. His girlfriend was in the hospital, no one really knew what had happened to her and the last thing that was going to be comforting was a ton of junk food and movies. But Rachel and Quinn both agreed that this was the only thing they could think of that would even be an attempt to make sure that Artie was all right. When Mercedes arrived they wrapped the basket up tightly and packed in the car then they drove the short distance to the Abram house and rang the doorbell just after eleven. When the woman Rachel recognized as Artie's mother answered the door she recognized that there was a look of worry on the older woman's face.

"Good morning Mrs. Abrams. Is Artie home?" Rachel said as it had already been decided that she was to be the spokeswoman for the trio.

"Hi girls. I'm sorry but Artie isn't really up for visitors right now."

"Oh."

"But I will let him know that you three stopped by. I feel so terrible what happened to Tina."

"We all do Mrs. Abrams. Thank you for your time and please let Artie know he can call us." Rachel said.

The girls turned to head back to the car before Quinn stopped them.

"Oh wait! Can you give this to Artie Mrs. Abrams?" Quinn said motioning towards the basket in her arms, "I know it's isn't going to help but its something."

Mrs. Abram took the basket from Quinn and then nodded, "Thank you girls, I will."

As Mrs. Abrams shut the door the girls made their way back to Rachel's car. The ride back to the Berry house was quiet.

After both Mercedes and Quinn left Rachel took a moment to breath, and then broke down sobbing. She realized sinking onto her couch that she hadn't really dealt with everything in the last two days. She had been the strong one. She had dealt with Tina and her relationship with Quinn and Mercedes. She internally battled with her situation with Puck and all of that was becoming too much. Her emotions were shot and she really felt like just tucking herself in bed and watching something that would make her laugh and not even think about crying. Rachel quickly wiped the tears from her face when the doorbell rang. Standing from the couch she smoothed her skirt and ran her fingers through her hair in order to be as presentable as possible to whoever was on the other side of the door. The "showface" that Rachel put on quickly dropped when she saw Puck standing nervously on her front porch.

"Noah."

"We need to talk," Puck said pushing his way past Rachel and into her living room.

"Noah, right now isn't a very good time."

"I heard what happened to Tina. It's the perfect time." Puck said taking a seat on Rachel's couch, "Come sit please."

Rachel moved slowly towards the couch that seemed to be the setting for many of the discussions she and Puck had had. Sitting down next to him she immediately felt her small hands engulfed with his much larger ones.

"I'm sorry Rachel. The way I acted wasn't appropriate. I was frustrated and not because we aren't having sex. I thought you were putting the girls before me and I was acting completely childish and like a total loser about it. Not that that's a real excuse."

"Noah. I understand. I just was getting frustrated myself."

"But I want you to know that I would never EVER do anything like what happened to Tina. And I promise that when we figure out who did this, he's going to pay."

Rachel hesitated telling Puck that they had an idea of who had done this to Tina, but stayed quiet for fear of what her boyfriend would do with that information, 'Noah, I know you're not capable of doing anything as heinous as that that was done to Tina."

"So you forgive me?"

"Yes of course. And I must apologize for the unreasonable way I've been acting."

"It's all good baby. Just part of your crazy," Rachel shot him a look, "Good crazy, baby, good crazy." Puck added to save himself.

Rachel leaned over and softly pressed her lips against Puck's. They weren't kisses of passion like the last one that they had shared, but they were soft and caused Rachel's heart to flutter.

"I love you," Puck said.

"I love you too Noah."

"So how is she?"

"No idea. Once her parents got there they made everyone leave. And none of us know if they'll let us see her today."

"Has anyone talked to Artie?"

'Mercedes, Quinn and I went over there this morning but his mom told us he didn't want to see anyone."

"Wait. You're talking to Quinn and Mercedes again?"

"Yes Noah. I apologized for my behavior and luckily I have friends that will forgive me when I get a little crazy."

"I'm glad you guys worked it out. And Artie should be happy he's got friends like you. Don't worry that he isn't talking now he's a dude. Eventually he'll come around and you'll be there waiting."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"I just want everything to get better. We've all had such an emotional year that isn't it time for us to get some good. Shouldn't we have enough karma points to last us at least until we get out of college?"

"I dunno babe. But sometimes I think that all the bad that has happened is just a way for us to get to the good."

"What do you mean?"

"Like, if I hadn't gotten shot we could have still been running around avoiding each other."

"You know I don't like to talk about that."

"I know. But it's true. "

"Maybe. But I would have waited if it meant that you didn't get shot."

"I know baby. We would have found our way back to each other eventually because we love each other. But sometimes it takes something traumatic to realize things quicker. Just like it took what happened to Tina to realize that you weren't being fair to Mercedes and Quinn."

"When did you become the wise one?"

"I've always been wise. It's part of being a badass."

"Oh really?"

"Really," Puck said lifting his hand to cup Rachel's cheek and placed a soft kiss on her lips, "So I guess since we just made up after a fight we have to watch musicals all day?"

Both teens laughed. After they would fight, and if it was Puck's fault, the two would watch musicals all day as part of Puck's way of making it up to Rachel.

"This wasn't just you're fault Noah. But Quinn and I watched musicals last night. So do you think we could just lay here for a little while?"

"I could be good with that," Puck said lying back on the couch, pulling Rachel with him. His arms fell around her waist as Rachel's head fell on his shoulder. The two relaxed in the quietness that filled the Berry house that afternoon. And as Rachel fell asleep tightly nestled against her boyfriend, she somehow knew that all the bad in the life of her and her friends were going to get better.

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R&R and I'll love you forever! :)


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: **So after much debate this is the last chapter of What Makes Us Remember. I want to thank everyone who has read, alerted, favorited etc this story and all the others in the series. This is my most reviewed story and I am so happy that so many of you came along with me on this ride. This was my first venture into fanfiction is years and I think this series made it worth while. But I think after this the series is over. I may, if inspiration strikes me, write a one shot with in this universe but I want to concentrate on my other stories right now. I know this is not the ending that this story deserved but it was time to say goodbye. So please Review and let me know what you thought about this chapter, the story, the series whatever it is.

Okay I'm done

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Pulling into the convention center that would be the stage for Regionals, Rachel couldn't help but wish that all the dreams she had for the glee club, all the dreams she'd had since their first rehearsal her sophomore year, would come true tonight. They had truly become part of something special, and it didn't take long for Rachel to realize that it wasn't the success of the club that made the club special; it was each individual person that was in the club. And it was what Rachel loved the most about being part of this very special club; that they had all become a family.

In the recent weeks since Tina's incident, Marcus Alderson had been arrested for raping Tina. He cracked under the pressure when the police questioned him, and confessed and was immediately taken into custody and was currently sitting a cell waiting for his sentencing. Tina took a lot of time off school, and when her parent's allowed it, Rachel, Quinn and Mercedes went over to see her. The girls all told Tina how much they loved her and that the boys were planning to find a way to get at least one cheap shot in on Marcus. Tina just thanked them and let a couple of tears fall from her face. Rachel told Tina that she didn't have to come back to glee. With Kristine and Hank, they had more than the twelve required members. There was no need for Tina to hurry her recovery for the club. "I need to go back to glee, for my recovery," Tina had responded and Rachel just nodded.

And when Tina stepped off the bus right behind her Rachel couldn't help but smile. Her friend had been through something so traumatic and she pushed through and regained her life, so that it was one less thing that her attacker had stolen from her. She thought about Puck then. He had come back from a similar situation. Jimmy Crawford had tried to steal Puck's life and he'd come back from that, and Puck and Rachel had both realized that they needed to be with each other. Right before the team reached the door Rachel felt herself being tugged to the side by Puck's hand that she had been holding. Rachel suddenly found herself surrounded by Puck, Quinn and Mercedes while the rest of the group entered the convention center.

"What's wrong?" Mercedes asked.

"Nothing's wrong."

"You're lying." Quinn said.

"I am not. I promise."

"Rachel…" Puck added.

"Have we all become too used to bad things happening that we always assume the worst?"

"Yes," all three said in unison.

"Well let me assure you that that the thoughts running through my head right now are not of impending doom."

"Then what are they?" Puck asked.

"We're going to win," Rachel said with a smile before taking hold of Puck and Quinn's hand, Mercedes holding onto Quinn's hand and the four teens joined the rest of the team inside.

And New Directions did win. After failing to defeat Vocal Adrenaline the previous year, Rachel was sure that their song selections, amazing dance routines and all around sheer talent led to their victory. The team had chosen "Name of the Game" by ABBA for Rachel and Puck to do as a duet; "What About Now" by Daughtry that included solos from Puck, Rachel, Quinn, Finn, Artie and Tina; and their final selection was "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne that was completely Shuester's idea. Rachel wasn't sure how well the Prince of Darkness would translate into show choir, but as they ran through the number a few times she fell in love with it and knew it would be a unique piece at Regionals. And as their name was announced in victory Rachel felt as if a weight had been lifted from shoulders of the entire group. As she wrapped her arms around Quinn, then Mercedes, then Tina before finally being engulfed into the arms of her boyfriend, Rachel felt that finally all her wishes and prayers were being granted. She knew it was going to happen half way through her duet with Puck. She looked into Puck's eyes and something inside her clicked. Every note after that was sung with such gusto that it even surprised Rachel herself. And now that it was over, she felt that her heart might just explode from the joy. New Directions had finally overcome their greatest obstacle. But now there was another in their way. Not Nationals, but prom.

* * *

Though only a junior, Rachel was excited to go to prom. The gleeks were all going and they had each vowed to make the evening as magical as possible. Kurt, Hank, Santana and Brittany planned to shock and awe the entire McKinley student body, while Tina graciously accepted Artie's offer after fearing that Artie would be reluctant to go. Mercedes vowed that she and Matt would be the most fashionable couple and Kristine was going with Jason of course and Mike was going stag, though he didn't care because truly the fifteen members of New Directions were going together.

Finn and Quinn however ran into a bit of a problem. When Finn hadn't asked Quinn to go to prom with him just a few weeks before the dance, Quinn gave Finn the silent treatment. She locked herself in Rachel's bedroom after school one evening and refused to talk to anyone except Rachel.

"What if he doesn't want to go? What if he hasn't asked me because he wants to break up with me but doesn't want to spend all the money on the tux to break up with me afterwards?" Quinn rambled lying on Rachel's bed.

Rachel sat at her computer desk watching her blonde friend huff and puff.

"Why would Finn want to break with you Quinn? He loves you."

"I don't know Rachel but it doesn't make sense for a guy not to ask his girlfriend to prom!"

"Noah didn't ask me."

"You're not going?" Quinn shouted with such fervor that Rachel wasn't sure if she was more upset that Finn hadn't asked her or that she thought Rachel wasn't going to the prom.

"Of course I'm going."

"But you just said."

"He didn't have to ask me. He knew he was going because the whole club is going."

"And he didn't even say anything to you about it?"

"He asked me what color my dress was so his mom knew what color tie to get him."

"That's still kind of cute. I haven't even gotten anything yet."

"Maybe he just assumes your going together."

"But I want him to ask me a romantic way. We've had this planned since last year before best friends and babies and he knows what I wanted to happen."

"Have you talked to him?"

"No."

"Well why not?"

"Because then he's just going to ask me there and I want gestures. Rach, is it too much that I want gestures?"

"No Quinn. But what if Finn doesn't know you want gestures? Maybe he isn't sure about it after everything that's happened."

"Do you know something? Did he talk to you? Did he talk to Puck?"

"No, but hold on," Rachel said pulling her vibrating phone out of the pocket of her jeans. It was a text from Puck.

_Finn's freaking out. Figure out what's wrong with Q._

Rachel laughed and after contemplating it for a second, she sent her boyfriend a text back.

_Gestures. She needs gestures._

"Who is it?" Quinn asked frantically sitting up on Rachel's bed, "Is it Finn? Is he telling you that he wants to break up with me? Because I don't think I can handle losing him again."

"Quinn please calm down. I can almost guarantee that Finn isn't going to break up with you. You really are making a mountain out of a mole hill."

"I am not Rachel. Prom is a big deal for a girl right after the chastity ball and I will not miss out on both events Rachel! And what do you mean almost?"

Rachel laughed as Quinn threw herself back into the mattress of the bed before checking her newly received text message.

_What does that mean?_

Rachel quickly responded.

_Sweet Caroline. _

An hour later, Rachel and Quinn were watching _A Walk to Remember _since it was Quinn's choice and she felt like crying. They were lounging on the couch in the dark when there was a knock on the door.

"Are you expecting someone? Are you kicking me out?"

"No Quinn," Rachel said grabbing the remote and paused the movie, "Let's just see who it is."

Rachel got off the couch pulling Quinn with her. She walked over to the door and opened it revealing Puck and Finn standing on the lawn, Puck with a CD player in his hands.

"Finn," Quinn said pushing past Rachel exiting the house and moving onto the front porch, "what are you doing here?"

Finn just gave a look to Puck who pushed the play, the instrumental played before Finn began singing.

_I wanna know, who ever told you I was letting go._

_The only joy that I have ever known, girl they're lyin'_

_Just look around, at all the people that we used to know_

_Just give it up they wanna let it go, we're still trying_

_So you should know this love we share was never made to die_

_I'm glad we're on this one way street just you and I, just you and I._

_I'm never going to say good bye, cause I never wanna see you cry_

_I swore you my love with remain, and I swear it all over again and I_

_I'm never going to treat you bad, cause I never wanna see you sad_

_I just wanna share your joy and your pain_

_And I swear it all over again_

Rachel watched as her boyfriend pressed stop on the player while Quinn stood silent on the porch. Quinn watched for Finn's next move. She remembered the first time Finn had sung to her, at her parents' house, outing her pregnancy to them. She hated him then, for making her parents hate her, for making them kick her out. But now as this boy sang his heart to her once again on Rachel's front lawn, she loved him.

"Will you go to prom with me Quinn?" Finn said in a quick breath.

Quinn rushed down the porch and into Finn's waiting arms. Rachel shook her head as Finn and Quinn made up. Puck joined Rachel on the porch.

"Judging by Quinn it looks like Finn did okay." Puck said putting the CD player down on the porch ledge.

"I've seen better."

"Really? When?"

"One time some crazy boy sang Sweet Caroline in front of the entire glee club. Now nothing compares."

"Nothing?"

"Nope. Even Justin Timberlake has lost his appeal."

"Wow. That guy must be ridiculously talented."

"Oh he is." Rachel said wrapping her arm around Puck, pulling herself to his side as they watched Finn and Quinn who were still on the lawn.

* * *

The glee club walked into the gym of McKinley High School where the prom was being held and were surprised that their prom committee was able to turn their plain gym into an amazing setting with black and silver streamers, balloons, table clothes, and napkins. Tightening her grip on Puck's arm, she wondered how on earth Principal Figgins was able to pay for this.

The boys were not so much interested in the dancing as the girls were. The glee boys, along with most of the males in attendance, sat at the tables, or stood against the walls while the girls enjoyed themselves on the dance floor. There was one moment where Puck had to join them but only because it looks like Jacob Ben Israel was getting too close to Rachel and he really couldn't be dealing with his creepiness.

But when the music slowed down, girls went over to find their dates before dragging them to the dance floor. They'd done ladies choice, guys choice (even though they didn't really have one) but when the DJ announced that it was the last song for the night the boys immediately went over to find the ones they'd come with (before they came to find them).

Rachel smiled as Puck approached her and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. Rachel tucked her hands around Puck's neck as they began to dance.

"You had a horrible time didn't you?"

"What? No."

"No need to lie to me Noah. All the girls know the only reason any of you guys are here is because we want you to be. We think it's kind of romantic."

"Did you have fun?"

"Yes I did."

"Then I had fun," Puck said leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on Rachel's lips, "I got us a hotel room," Puck said tightening his grip around Rachel's waist as they danced.

"A hotel room? For what?" Rachel said looking up at her boyfriend. Puck laughed at her innocence.

"For us."

Puck watched as Rachel processed what he had just said. Her eyes went big in realization and a simply, "Oh" escaped her lips.

"I don't expect anything Rachel. But I know you're suppose to spend the night at Quinn's but I know that Finn got them a room too and I was suppose to spend the night at Finn's. But we don't have to go I just thought we could have some privacy and-"

"Noah?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you nervous?"

"What? No."

"You're rambling."

"So. You ramble all the time."

"But you don't."

Puck hesitated for a moment looking down at his girlfriend who was still encircled in his arms, swaying to the music even while they were having this conversation. She looked absolutely stunning. Rachel Berry was indeed the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen and he was positive no one would be able to compare, ever.

"Okay, maybe I'm a little nervous."

Rachel tried not to laugh as her usually badass boyfriend let his vulnerable side show. She loved everything about him, yet when he let his guard down around her, her heart couldn't help but swell just a bit.

"I love you Noah."

"I love you too,"

"I'm ready Noah."

"Oh."

* * *

One hour later, all the goodbyes were said and Puck and Rachel were closing the door of their hotel room behind them. Rachel put her bag down next to the bed as Puck discarded his jacket before coming up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. His lips pressed at the flesh just underneath her left ear.

"We don't have to do this you know," Puck whispered into Rachel's ear sending chills down her spine. Rachel took a deep breath letting the sensation course through her body before answering, "I know."

Rachel turned herself in Puck's arms so that she was now looking into Puck's amazing green eyes. She loved this boy. He was the most unplanned thing that had ever happened in her life and she wouldn't go back and change that for the world. Last year, before friends and boyfriends she thought the only thing she needed was her career. And that if she stayed on this well planned path, which she admittedly once included Finn, she would succeed. But now, she saw the same path had a few unplanned turns. Some of them had been fun and easy to navigate through, and others had taken her to dark places, forced her to be a little tougher yet both turns still lead her on the same path.

"You're going to have to guide me a little," Rachel said as Puck began working the zipper on her pale pink dress.

"Don't worry baby," Puck said kissing her, "I've got you."

"You do know this is entirely cliché right Noah? " Rachel said kissing Puck and stepping out of the dress that Puck had loosened from its hold on her body, "Losing my virginity on prom night."

"Why break with tradition?" He said admiring the view of his half-naked girlfriend as she stood before him in just her bra and panties.

"What do you mean? How many girls have you deflowered on prom night?" Rachel shouted as Puck began working his tie lose from his neck.

"There will only be one. " Puck said as he began removing his shirt.

"Then what on earth are you talking about?"

"Oh come on babe you're going to tell me you don't see how cliché we are?"

"Excuse me?" Rachel practically shouted as Puck removed his shirt entirely from his body before sweeping Rachel up into his arms and placing her on the bed before laying beside her watching as her eyes were still looking for an explanation for his comment.

"It's not a bad thing so calm you're partially naked self down," Puck said and Rachel relaxed only a bit giving him the most suspicious look, "We're the good girl and the bad boy."

Rachel's hardened face softened just a bit, "I suppose that is true."

"Of course it is. But we're at the most badass cliché there is and ever will be."

Rachel giggled then put her hand around Puck's neck pulling him down for a kiss.

"Are you sure about this Rachel? Choosing to do this means you'll have to deal with my manly urges everyday."

"Everyday?"

"Pretty much."

"Bring it."

Rachel always thought the greatest high she would feel would come from performing on stage. But she would admit that the feelings she experienced while making love to Puck were more intense than she had experienced before. A cheering crowd of people loves you but they love you for your performance, not for you. But Puck, Puck knew Rachel and she loved and trusted him with every thing that she was, and would be, and he loved her back the same. He was gentle and passionate and Rachel thought though cliché, it was still one of the most amazing experiences of her life.

That year, New Directions went on to win their first National championship. All fifteen students were honored at an assembly that Principal Figgins insisted on having in their honor. They performed and the next year, nearly three times as many students tried out for the club. Winning championships had put glee club back on the map. But for the fifteen that had loved, lost, and had been heart broken and madly in love for the two years before that, winning titles just reminded them of everything they had gone through. It made them remember that as long as they had each other, they could make it through anything.

* * *

Thank you all again for reading! I hope this chapter didn't suck so bad. The song Finn sang was "I'm never gonna say goodbye" by Westlife.

OH if you want to keep with me and my other stories follow me on twitter thatgleekychick!


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